


The other side

by DarkWrathEQ



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:53:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 66,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27684514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkWrathEQ/pseuds/DarkWrathEQ
Summary: Life in the little town of Storybrook went on as usual. Everything was as it was the family, the squabbles, the unrequited love, the fairy tales, the romance and a mistake. When Emma returned to StoryBrook, she thought she had done a good deed by saving a certain Marion, that was until Robin shouted out Marion and Regina's face spoke volumes of hurt. Can Emma make it right or was there something more sinister that came back with them....from the other side?
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Dorothy Gale/Red Riding Hood | Ruby, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Henry Mills, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Robin Hood, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Henry Mills & Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 32
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue

The faint orange line began to disappear as the dark of the night started to envelope the sky. It was clear, not a cloud in sight. A few stars twinkled with glee as they looked down with delight to what was down below them. The moon lit the sky with an ominous glow. The sounds outside , usually the rustling of the leaves that danced quietly in the breeze at night would lull her to sleep from a long day. The familiar sounds of the night although before brought on the reality of loneliness gave her some comfort knowing she was safe and surrounded by people. The stillness of the night that greeted her every day when she got home from her job, the familiar smells of her home and the people of Storybrook, the quiet, invisible town. But not just any town, this town was filled with magic and characters from fairy tales. 

But....

Today the sounds were different, the smell was no more of home. There were no familiar voices of people. She didn’t know how long she was had been there hours, days or weeks. She shivered as the cold air touched her skin. She had been running a fever and she was alone. It was very different. She moved her leg that was now feeling stiff. She bit back the pain and tears that filled her eyes as the painful sensation shot through her. She knew this place was not safe and a wrong move could end her instantly. 

She wondered...

That day on the bridge, was it a wrong decision that separated her from the rest. Did she jump the gun when she sensed danger was near them. Did she do the right thing by taking the danger away from the others, leaving herself vulnerable and alone to fend off the creatures that now scratched at the door outside. She could hear their soft moans and nails scratch at the weather beaten wood that was the only barrier between her and what waited outside. She could hear screams in the distance...Screams that were inhuman, a sinister call to others like them. A call to tell them to feed. 

She remembered.....

Her leg, the blood had stopped flowing. It had been a few days she guessed by the looks of the now bluish purple wound that gazed at her. She knew there was as infection as certain portion of the wound now showed signs of yellow, putrid pus. Was she going to lose her leg? She remembered the fall. The sound of her bone cracking, the broken wooden branch that when through her thigh like nature’s own spear. She remembered pulling herself off it as she felt shock start to take over her body. As she crawled to get off the forest floor. 

She knew the only thing that saved her was the adrenaline pumping through her body. 

Tonight......

The moon looked different. 

The sounds outside were different.  
She wondered if she was going to make it through the night.........


	2. Chapter 1

“Ms.Swan, you had no right to interfere in my life, again” the regal yet threatening voice of the Mayor resonated at city hall as she looked at the blonde who stood there, her mouth opened ready to say something. 

Emma turned to meet the brunette face to face, clearly she could see that the Mayor was seething with anger and that she could expect a fireball or two her way. In the few months after promising Regina to help her with her happy ending, Emma managed to smash it by bringing Marian back with her, of course to Emma, she was saving a life, unknown to her Marian was Robin's wife. So, she managed to save a life and destroy another, to her bad luck it was the life she destroyed was the much sort after happy ending of the Evil queen.

“Reg-Madame Mayor, I was just saving a life and -” Emma realized as soon as the words escaped her mouth that it was a mistake. 

She clearly saw Regina's face contort in anger. The same face she saw when she was cutting down her apple tree. She saw the brunette's lip quiver and jaw line tense as she gritted her teeth. It took Regina every ounce of self control not to burn the woman who destroyed her happiness in front of her. First it was Henry, then the curse and now this. The Mayor was running out of patience. It seems to be a Charming family trait to destroy her happiness. Regina was not interested in her vindication for her actions. All she knew was, the saviour who brought happy ending for everyone but her , was just another version of her mother, Snow White, the hope queen.

“Ms.Swan, I don't know what part of stay out of my life you didn't not understand, but let me make it clear to you, do not help me in anyway, because every time you try it ends in disaster. So maybe you should just not help me and good things will come of it” Regina was hurt and angry at Emma. 

Ever since Emma came to Storybrook and undid the curse Regina’s life had been falling apart. Emma had protected her several times and had gained slight favour in the Mayors eyes but always managed to lose the favour when she did things like this.

Clearly, Regina was in no mood considering her horrible situation Emma Swan had put her in three weeks ago. Robin had made his honourable decision to stay with Marian. When Regina heard it, all she could do was choke back her pain and watch her happiness walk out the door. Even at the town line, Regina hoped Robin would change his mind, but the second he put his foot across the line she knew it was over. The pain to see her true love with his family and not being able to touch him hurt like hell, hell that was brought on because Emma wanted to be Saviour, fulfilling the prophecy. This was her life, her world she created during the first curse to have her happy ending. Then why wasn't she having it. 

“You know I didn't do that on purpose” Emma justified herself from Regina's tunnel vision of her error rather than the actual reason of her unintentional error.

“Well Ms.Swan, doing things is part of your purpose especially when it comes to taking mine away. Just stay out of my life” Regina pushed past her with a final glare into Emma's eyes, burning into them. Regina took long strides to get away from the Saviour and her obvious hope glow that the Charming carried. For Regina, right now she was a bundle of nerves and needed to gain her composure, best away from the woman who created it. A quite night at home would hopefully help. A night she would have Robin in her arms...possibly doing more.

The next morning, Regina sat in her mayoral office, paper work, permits, budget numbers strewed in front of her untouched. Her mind heavy with thoughts of a certain blonde who had been constantly in her face. She had always kept her business out of the towns gossip lines being a queen, the last thing she wanted was the peasants gossiping about her life. She had already earned an unchangeable reputation of being the Evil Queen back in the Enchanted Forest, Thanks to her mother Cora and the Dark One. Now as mayor, her old habits would have started to show if not for a little boy who changed her for the better 14 years ago. She touched the picture of a young boy with dark hair and green eyes of the saviour, “Henry my little prince, I love you more than life itself”. She sighed when she thought back to the time everything was good, the curse was still there and Henry was hers. Then the book that destroyed her perfect world again, A book given by none other than Snow White herself to Henry. This book took her son away from her and sent him on a mission to find the saviour, who turned out to be his birth mother. The blonde that is now comfortably living in Storybrook, her town and constantly shoving her smug Saviour face in Regina’s, under the pretext of saving her from being who she used to be and finding her happy ending. 

“Like I, Regina Mills requires a blonde, bounty hunter or whatever the hell she did before to save me!” Right now, she would have liked to wring Emma’s neck or tie her up and throw her off a bridge or better yet have Roasted Saviour after the fiasco that just transpired them. Her mother was a whole other problem. Oh, when she thought of her hope speeches, it made her want to throw up. 

“That snivelling little Snow White on her high horse.” Regina muttered under her breath as her fingers curled in holding the document tight. She wished the blonde would leave her be. Every time Regina turned around, there she was smiling and waving like they were best friend. She heard a knock on her door, and just as she was saying speak of the devil. She put on my best fake hello Snow smile

“Snow, what a unpleasant surprise” the only thing missing in this picture was her blonde daughter and there as if right on cue there she was right behind her. What more could Regina ask for the whole True Love Hope Family, she held her breath for a moment, and waited...... nope, no Prince charming. 

“Sheriff Swan, come to save me again?” Regina said sarcastically still bitter about what happened the previous evening. Emma decided to ignore the sarcastic remark and be professional.

“Madam Mayor, I have checked the borders around Storybrook regarding suspicious activities but have not found anything” Regina looked at the two sitting in front of her like two bobble headed dolls nodding in agreement with each other. 

“So then there is nothing more to look for is there?” she was glad she didn’t have to sit and look at the two idiots anymore than she needed too.

“Now if that’s all I would like to get back to my work, you can show yourselves out” but then as usual Snow had to say something, she always had something to say.

“Regina, we are having dinner at the apartment and would really like if you came for it.” Regina looked at her and smiled. She knew what her answer “A BIG NO” but then the pixy haired Hope Queen continued

“ Henry would really like you to come” and she used the Henry line smiling knowing very well that Regina would never refuse anything pertaining to Henry. 

Regina hated going for dinner at the Charmings. Listening to her arch nemesis talk about the goodness of true love and forgiveness to move on and then telling her she was redeemable like some paper coupon at a supermarket or online code, that’s where the child of true love comes in. Yes, the blonde one, Regina thought in her head narrowing her eyes while she looked at Emma. There she was sitting in her boots, and tight black jeans and her tank top hugging every curve of her body and just the ever so slight curves of her boobs peeping out at Regina, her pink lips moist and every time that tongue came out to moisten them like she couldn’t afford to go and buy some lip balm. Maybe she should buy some for her as a thank you for dinner.

“So what’s it going to be?” Snow persisted like she didn’t know what the answer would be, so smiling and through her well aligned teeth, the once former Queen flashed her politest smile and graciously accepted her offer for dinner. Now all she needed to do was sit through another hellish dinner with the “True love Hope Family” 

“See you at 7pm” she watched as mother and daughter strolled out of her office, and she was so glad to see the back of them, but tonight she would be seeing the front of them and it is going to be unavoidable, and painful evening. 

Emma sat in her sheriff's office, a smile on her face with thoughts of the Mayor. Emma couldn’t believe Regina fell again for mom’s Henry line. She really did love their son, although she hated Emma. But then again the feeling is so not mutual. Emma totally digged her hot brunettness to the core ever since she had seen her the first time. Everything about her was perfect the way she walked, the way she talked. Saving her from the town people became second nature to her. She wanted to protect this woman who people saw a threat or their so called Evil Queen. She maybe have been evil before but that was due to extenuating circumstances that forced her to become who she was. To Emma she was Regina Mills, beautiful Mayor of Storybrook, mother of their son. She would love to tell Regina how she felt but then there is always her past insecurities that were always there. Rejection, Abandonment, acceptance. 

“I guess the two people who wear their masks the best are Regina and Me” Emma thought to herself. 

At 7pm there was knock on the Charming’s door, Emma opened to find Regina in a black dress and a grey jacket her usual designer heels, standing at the door with a bottle of wine and some homemade cider in her hand. There was a moment of a staring match between the two ladies before Emma caught up with the moment and welcomed her in. 

“Mom! You made it!” Henry was happy to see his mother there. Although both women share time with him, Regina off late was not getting enough time with him and he barely saw her during the day as well. He missed the familiar scent of his mother and the secure warmth that came from her arms. Her husky commanding yet loving soft motherly voice that had on so many occasions lulled him to sleep, sooth his fever or reprimanded him for his manners. He took a deep breath of her soft lavender and apple scent that filled his nostrils and smiled. 

“Hello sweetheart” Regina kissed the top of his head and took in the familiar scent of a teenager’s choice in shampoo and deo. 

“Dinner will be served in 20 minutes. Henry can you please set the table” Snow called from the kitchen. Emma led Regina to the living room.

“What can I get you to drink, Regina?” 

“A glass of wine would do me,Miss.Swan” Regina said looking at her, taking in the attire of the blonde. She stood there in her blue jeans, her boots still on. Her black turtle neck was sticking to her toned body like a second skin. Regina couldn’t help but lick her lips. Emma saw her do that and grinned hoping Regina was showing some signs of warming up to her. 

Emma returned with a large glass of red wine and handed it to the brunette who was perched at the edge of the cushion of the sofa. Regina thanked Emma as she took the glass. Emma plopped down beside her with her beer in hand. She started flipping through the channels on TV trying to find something decent to watch since Regina didn’t seemed interested in striking up a conversation with her. She stopped on the horror channel, an old creature flick was going on. Emma grinned as she saw a creature tear into a victim eating out the intestines causing Regina to make a face that clearly showed her displeasure towards the choice of movie

“Miss.Swan, would it be too much trouble for you to watch something that is more pleasant on the stomach?” Regina looked at the blonde wondering about her atrocious taste in movies. 

“Forgive me, Madame Mayor, I didn’t know you were watching as well” Emma mocked 

“Miss.Swan, with something like gut eating on the screen is hardly something one can ignore or look the other way” Regina shot back swirling her wine in her glass while taking a sip and moving it in her mouth. Emma snorted and changed the channel to animal planet. There were was a program called “Wild Sex” which clearly showed two chimpanzees mating at extraordinary speed she turned in time to see Regina spray out her wine all over the magazines on the coffee table. 

“Very refined Miss.Swan” Regina said raising an eyebrow at her selection, Emma threw her hands up in the air there was no pleasing the woman.

“Dinner’s ready!” Snow called out, Regina was more than happy to leave the inappropriate viewing and join her least favourite couple for dinner. Regina sat next to Henry while Emma sat next to him on the other side. 

“It’s good to have both my mom’s here with us” he said grinning as he helped himself to some Pork Roast and Vegetables. 

“I second that” Snow said smiling as she handed the mash potatoes down to Regina who smiled and took it. 

“I think this should be a regular thing. When Henry is here Regina should come over and when Henry is at her place we should go over. What do you say Henry?” Emma as usual loved to make Regina as uncomfortable as possible. This time Regina was not going to let her have the benefit of it.

“I agree Ms.Swan. How does Friday sound?” she smiled at Emma who looked like she was caught right in the middle of putting something in her mouth. “Close your mouth dear, we don’t want any of our six legged friends going in now” smirked Regina as she stabbed her pork with her fork. 

Dinner went well and for desert there was cake and coffee for anyone who wanted. It was late and Regina felt it was best she left for home. 

“Thank you Snow that was a pleasant dinner” she turned to Henry and gave him a kiss on his head. 

“I will pick you up from school tomorrow sweetheart and take you home okay?” Henry nodded and kissed her goodnight. Emma stood there looking at her. She didn’t want her to leave yet so she offered to walk her to her car. 

“That won’t be necessary Ms.Swan, my car is just park two blocks from here, I am sure I can walk it up without incident” Regina said in her tone that always told Emma its time to back off. 

“Alright then. Have a safe drive home, Madam Mayor” Emma said disappointment evident on her face.

Regina walked down the stairs towards the entrance of Snow’s apartment building. It was a quite night. The usual crowd probably somewhere in town drinking or at granny’s the gossip central. Regina walked down the footpath towards her car. She was watching some stragglers walking unevenly across the street. They stopped to look at her. Not moving. Their bodies stiff. Just watching her walk. Regina just shrugged, “Must be the late night drunks of the town, I might have to instill curfew time here.” she said as she got into her car and drove off to her lonely mansion.

Emma was still trying to wake up after she hit her snooze button 5 times before. She didn’t want to wake up. Maybe if she faked sleeping she could rest while longer. Her phone began to ring, groaning and kicking off the covers she picked it up

“Sherriff Swan” she said in a croaky voice

“Sherriff, this is Farmer Bill here. Do you think you have the time to come over? Something strange has happened on my farm” Emma looked at the clock it was 7 am. 

“Yeah, I can do that give me 20 mins, I’ll be there” she hung up and looked at herself in the mirror she looked like a zombie. She gave herself a dead look, raising her arms up and mimicking a zombie. 

20 minutes later Emma was standing on Bill’s farm looking at what seemed to be a mangled mess of cow. She cringed at the smell of the farm filled her nostrils this early in the morning without any coffee or her bear claw

“And you don’t think this is an animal attack?” she said looking at the cow.

“No I don’t. There are no paw prints around only shoe prints and they surely ain’t mine” he said scratching his bald head as he assured Emma who took a closer look at the cow. There were teeth marks but they were not made from an animal. If this was some kind of a joke the kids in Storybrook were playing they have something else coming. 

“I will look into Bill and I will file a report” Emma got into her sheriff cruiser and headed back to the station. Her stomach growled and her brain was still trying to wake up when Ruby walked in with her coffee and bear claw.

“Someone missed their morning breakfast pick up” Ruby chimed 

“Oh thank you Ruby, you’re a life saver!” Emma took the little brown bag and inhaled the coffee aroma.

“What have we got?” Ruby settled down at her desk which was covered with her trinkets and stationary of red and wolf. Emma stepped out of her office and sat on Ruby’s desk with her coffee and bear claw. 

“Animal mauling” she said with a mouth full of bear claw.

“Animal mauling?? By what?” Ruby knew there were no such animals that could maul.

“Don’t know yet, But the animal was definitely as mangled mess and the teeth marks didn’t even look animal” Emma said thoughtfully remembering black and white and red all over the place. Strange things were happening in Storybrook the past couple of weeks especially during the night. 

“So what are we going to report it as, I am sure our Madam Mayor will have a keen interest in details” Ruby said knowing Regina to be a stickler for details.

“Let me think about it after I am done with my coffee” Emma said putting thought into her morning findings.

“Madam Mayor, you have a call from Dr.Whale” buzzed her secretary’s voice over the intercom. Regina wondered what Whale wanted. He was always a weird one and after his fail with trying to save Daniel and double crossing her by scheming with the Dark One, Regina hated him with her soul. 

“Put him through” 

“Madam Mayor good morning”

“Dr.Whale, what do I owe this call to?” she asked getting to the point.

“It’s about patients coming in with strange symptoms of fever”

“What do you mean fever? Is it the flu?” Regina was now concerned if there was some sort of virus going around she didn’t want Henry to catch it. 

“No, the patients seemed to be pale, and they can’t seem to keep anything down. Over the past three weeks I have lost 4 of them. They just seemed to get worse and die” there was silence as Regina’s mind went into full force, her gears running on high speed trying to understand the situation and what Whale was saying.

“Three weeks? Need I remind you that I am mayor here of Storybrook and its my duty to ensure the safety of its residents. Why wasn’t I informed about this situation earlier?” Regina was not about to have an epidemic on her hands “Have you done an autopsy on them?”

“Yes, and I have found nothing out of the ordinary” 

“Where are the bodies now?”

“Still in the morgue”

“Fine I will come there with Sheriff Swan” Regina hung up 

“So we have a flu virus on our hands and Whale is raising an alarm for this?” Emma asked shaking her head at the doctor’s unnecessary worry about something so trivial.

“I would like to see what this is about Sheriff and the reason you are here is to see if there is anything suspicious about the whole thing”

“Awww, and I thought you liked spending time with me” Emma fake pouted at Regina who just snorted. The woman infuriated her with her less than funny humor.

“I rather spend time with myself at home alone with a good book and a glass of cider Sheriff” 

“I am good company you know” Emma said in her defence wiggling her eyebrows at Regina who rolled her eyes at her.

“I am sure you are Sheriff, just not my type” Regina said as she pushed open the door to the morgue to find Whale standing there scratching his head.

“Dr.Whale, I take it by your head scratching that a problem has occurred between the time you called me and now?” Regina raised an eyebrow at him.

“I don’t know-I mean they were here three days ago” he blabbing

“Spit it out man” Regina was clearly irritated that she had to be dragged out of her office for this. Whale produced 4 files with pictures of the deceased. Regina and Emma looked into them and then Regina looked at him

“Is this some kind of a joke Dr.Whale, because if it is I am not laughing” Regina was clearly angry


	3. Chapter 3

“No, it's not. These people were dead and they were here”

“How can they be dead? I saw these two last night when I was heading home” Regina said pointing at two of the pictures of a man and a lady

“That is impossible Mayor, because they were dead and autopsied. They were dressed and ready to be taken home for their funeral by their family members” Whale said in disbelief

“Are you saying I am seeing things?” Regina closed the distance between her and Whale as she stared into his face

“Whoa! Madam Mayor calm down, maybe there is an logical explanation to all this” Emma said breaking them apart

“Like what Sheriff, they just decided to go for a walk and eat at Granny's ? Or was it that I may have had too much wine at your mother’s?” Regina asked glaring at her.

“I am not saying that. We just need to look into this matter. Let me investigate it further before jumping to conclusions” Emma said as she saw both the other people in the room calm down. 

Regina was the first to walk out, Emma followed her to the parking lot. Regina hadn’t said a word. She got into her car and turned it on. She didn’t leave yet, she just waited and looked at Emma

“Let me know what you find Sheriff, I have to go and pick our son” she said before she took off down the road towards Henry’s school not waiting for Emma to even reply. 

“That woman!!” Emma muttered under her breath. She had never met a more closed off, self centred, domineering woman in her life until she met Regina.

Regina just heard the bell ring when she pulled up in the school’s parking lot. She waited for the door to burst open as the children from the school poured out into the open school yard running to their parents. 

Regina’s mind wandered back to the previous night when she saw the two supposed deceased walking across the road from her. They did walk strangely but she put that down to too much of drinking. Was there really an epidemic or was that just Whale being his usual self of curious and experimenting self? Maybe she was just thinking too much into it, after all she was the Mayor and she hated surprises. 

She was so deep in thought that she didn’t noticed Henry standing beside her window. 

“Mom!” he said tapping on the window, that startled her. 

“Henry darling, when did you get here?” She said as he ran to the passenger side of the car and got in. He buckled up knowing how his mom was particular about road rules for that matter she was particular about every kind of rules. 

“How was your day?” Regina asked turning the car on. 

“Great mom, just like any other day!” Regina smiled driving them home. Henry always made things better. 

Henry was her saving grace, he made her change in every way possible. She wanted to be better person for him. Even when he brought Emma to Storybrook, Regina had to prove to him that she could be his mom and not the Evil Queen. It was a struggle but for him it was a labor of love.

Emma sat at her desk looking at 4 very dead faces in the files that Whale had given her. She knew when Regina said she saw two of them she was not lying. But it didn’t make sense. How could the dead be walking around? She sat staring at their very dead faces. Maybe she needed to check the borders again, maybe the disturbances during the past week had something to do with these 4, after all they didn’t really look familiar. Her phone vibrated noisily on her table, she picked it up to see it was Regina. 

“Madam Mayor, what can I do for you?” 

“Sheriff Swan, do you think you can check on this call I got from Bill’s farm” 

“I just went there this morning.”

“Well since I was so kindly left out of the morning incident briefing by a certain Sheriff, he called me , apparently his coop has been raided. I just picked Henry, so I will drop him off at your mother’s and head to the farm with you, I want to see what the hell is going on in my town” Regina sounded angry and Emma knew why the mayor hate being in the dark on anything.

“I will head there right now” Emma grabbed her keys and headed outside, Ruby was just walking in with their lunches.

“Where are you going?”

“Ruby get in, we need to go to the farm” they got in and drove towards the farm. 

Regina met Snow downstairs, she had called ahead and told her she would meet her there. After kissing Henry and promising to collect him once she was done she headed to the farm hoping Emma was already there. She pulled up alongside the sheriff cruiser 30 minutes later. She got out and stepped into a puddle. Regina grumbled knowing all too well she should have worn some other choice of shoes. She saw Emma, Ruby and Farmer Bill behind the barn looking at a mess of feathers. 

“Madam Mayor”

“Farmer Bill, good to see you” she said as she tried to steady herself on the damp slippery grown. Her heels had sunk in making her shoes look as if they were flats. She was going to have a lot of muck to clean out. “So why are we looking at feathers?” Regina asked looking at the mess that was all over the place.

“These are my hens or what's left of them” Bill said taking off his cap and scratching his bald head

“Farmer Bill, surely you didn’t call us here for a fox attack? We don’t have foxes here in StoryBrook” Regina scoffed

“No, but the good Sheriff here had seen what happened to my cow this morning and she doesn’t think this is an animal attack” Regina glared at Emma who just smiled at her. She had not briefed the Regina on her findings leaving her in the dark on a crucial   
case. Regina smiled hiding her anger.

“Well then I am sure Sheriff Swan will give me the details of that in her report by the end of the day” Regina said smiling sweetly at Emma. Emma could feel her stomach turn at the sweetness that came from that smiled. Clearly, Regina was in the great business of dealing out punishments and Emma was usually at the receiving end of it. 

“I will Madam Mayor” Emma said looking at Ruby who seemed to crinkle her nose at something. Emma walked to her and touched her back.

“Do you sense something Ruby?” Emma asked knowing Ruby’s instincts were perfect being a wolf and all. 

“There is an odd smell of death” Ruby said sniffing the air. Regina came up beside her much to her dismay that her designer shoes were now ruined.

“Well, Ruby we are standing in blood, guts and chicken feathers, you don’t expect not to smell death, hell even I can smell it along with chicken poop” Emma said mimicking Ruby sniffing the air. Regina looked at the blonde and shook her head like she was standing in idiotville. 

“If you’re done with your talents of sniffing Sheriff, maybe we can get back to work. I do have a busy schedule.” Regina said walking away back to her car, grateful that her shoes wouldn’t be subjected to more farm assault. Emma came trudging behind her and tapped on her window, very much like their son had done earlier today, she bent down to talk to her. 

“I think there is something strange going on here” Regina mimicked a faked shocked look

“You don’t say. Did your Saviour radar pick something up?” Emma rolled her eyes

“I am serious. Between, the disturbances in the past few weeks, Whales patients dying mysteriously and disappearing, you seeing two of the deceased and the cow chicken mauling” Emma said in one breath. Regina clearly couldn’t brush off what Emma had just said. There was definitely something going on in the quite town of StoryBrook, Maine.

“So what do you suggest, I call a town meeting and enforce a curfew because a cow and a few chickens got killed?” Regina asked sarcastically

“No, but don’t you think we need to up our patrols of the town just until we have a decent clue of what’s happening? Because Ruby smelt death and I trust that nose of hers” Emma said straightening up looking around the farm surroundings that was well   
covered with forest and Emma knew at that moment that anything could be lurking in that forest watching them as they spoke. 

“Fine then meet me tonight at my home and we will discuss it after Henry has gone to bed. The last thing I want in town is unnecessary panic” Regina said starting the car “Be there at 6:30 pm so you can have dinner with Henry and then we can have our discussion later” she drove off down the mud path not before splattering Emma’s jeans and boots with muck from her wheels. 

“Oh come On!” Emma yelled. “I am so going to wash my clothes in your washing machine tonight” 

Regina was in the kitchen preparing dinner when Henry come padding into the kitchen. He sat on the stool that was tucked under the island.

“So what happened after you left me at Grandmas?” he asked playing with an apple, trying to twirl it around the table.

“Just some disturbance on the farm that Emma and I are looking into dear” she said still cooking. She didn’t want to alarm Henry with the gory details of what they saw and definitely not details of what Emma and Ruby smelt.

“So what was it?” Henry pressed on.

“Some missing chickens and cow” Regina said knowing that was half truth but still the truth.

“Why would he need all of you there for a few missing livestock?” Henry said knowing his mother was not telling him everything. Regina turned to him smiling. She wiped her hands on to her apron and walked to him.

“Sweetheart, there are something’s best left for adults to know, but know this much that I love you and that I will protect you from anything and everything” Regina hoped that would satisfy his ever curious mind and when he just shrugged. She let out a sigh of   
relief. Now she was only hoping Emma would be more discreet in her explanation as well. Knowing Emma, she would make it a point to make it extra exaggerated.

At 6:30 pm the door bell rang, Regina walked to get the door. Emma stood there smiling in her dirty clothes and muddy boots. She handed Regina a bottle of wine and stepped in. Regina’s eyes widened when she saw the blonde heading up the foyer steps with her mud caked boots. 

“Ms.Swan!” Regina said aghast not realizing her tone had gone as high until Emma looked like a deer caught in the headlights 

“I hope you don’t think your are entering my home with those boots. Kindly take them off before entering my home” she said pointing to her boots. 

“I wish you had changed from your dirty clothes. I understand your need to do your job to the best of your ability but that” Regina pointed to the mud splatters on her pants. Emma smirked at her

“This was what you car did to me to say goodbye, I guess it does what its owner thinks of doing. Now where is your washing machine I would like to get these cleaned” Regina didn’t want any more arguments between them right now so she pointed Emma into the direction of her laundry room and proceeded back into the kitchen. 

Emma stripped off her clothes and dumped them in the machine. She stood there in the laundry room in her boy pants and bra. She looked around for something to cover herself with while her clothes were spinning around in Regina’s state of the art machine. Maybe I should do my laundry here all the time Emma smirked to herself, she loved the smell of Regina’s clothes after they were done. There was a set of clean clothes neatly folded in a basket ready to be put into their drawers obviously. Emma admired the black lace panties. Regina did have excellent taste in both lingerie and clothes. 

“If you’re done admiring my panties Ms.Swan dinner is ready” Emma practically jumped at Regina’s voice. 

“I was looking for something to wear while my clothes get done” she said looking around the room for clothes. Regina walked towards her raking her eyes over her body and smiling. She was inches away from Emma’s face when she leaned in Emma closed her eyes waiting for their lips to crash. Instead she felt hair and Regina pulled back and handed her a dressing gown with a smirk. 

“This should keep you warm till you get your clothes done” she turned and walked back adding extra sway to her hips. Emma felt an unintentional moan escape her lips when she looked at Regina’s butt. 

“Did you say something Ms.Swan?” Regina stopped to smiling knowing what effect she was having on her.

“No-I huh wow this is sooo soft” Emma said rubbing the house coat against her face closing her eyes and then taking a peek to see if Regina left. She was gone, “That woman is going to be the death of me” she said as she slipped on the housecoat and made her way to the dinning room. Wow this is soft must be the good stuff Regina uses.

Henry chuckled at her dinner attire. Regina had a tiny smile that she was trying hard to mask.

“Hey, I like the Fran Fine way at dinner or breakfast” she held her head up with pride as she helped herself to a serving of pasta. 

“We didn’t say anything dear” Regina smirked at her clearly knowing the blonde was uncomfortable with her exposed legs in the Regina’s ever revealing house coat.

“So Ma, what did you see at the farm” Regina started to cough and glare at Emma telling her to be discreet. Emma gave her the gotcha look and turned to Henry who looked at her with wide curious eyes that made Emma duck her head into her housecoat like a turtle hiding in it shell, hoping she could come up with some form of explanation for Henry. 

“Well kid” she stopped to clear her throat and took a sip of her water “ There was a cow and chickens that were not seen on the farm by the farmer” she quickly blurted out. Regina knew there was going to be a mountain of questions that Emma had got herself tangled in. She was going to enjoy her dinner conversation tonight. She waited for Henry to ask away. Regina adjusted herself in her seat as she leaned in to hear the questions she could see clouding Henry’s mind

“Not seen? How? Was it magic? Did he leave their coop open? Was the gate not locked? Is there something hunting them?” and boom!

“Umm” Emma licked her lips looking at their son. Regina raised an eyebrow waiting for her explanation. 

“They disappeared” Emma said satisfied with her answer she was about to put a fork full of pasta in her mouth when

“Disappeared? That’s not possible” Henry said in disbelief

“Would I lie to you?” Emma said keeping her face as serious as possible. Henry didn’t looked convinced. But for the time being he had to accept what Emma was saying because she was not going to say anymore. He would have to get it out of her when he is playing a video game against her. She usually was an open book when she was gaming.

After dinner, Henry stayed awake for a little while before wishing his mom’s goodnight and heading off to his friend's for the night. Regina looked at Emma and motioned her to follow her to the study. Regina made her way to fix them both drinks while Emma made herself comfortable on the sofa. She handed her a glass of cider as she settled down opposite her. 

“So Ms.Swan, I didn’t receive your report” 

“Because I have nothing to report” 

“How can you not have something to report when I was there on the farm with you”

“So do you want me to report I found mangled animals and I don’t know what did that?” Regina gritted her teeth, Emma was getting on her nerves with her shortcut answers to every questions. 

“So what do you plan to do?”

“I still don’t think what we saw is what is real. There is something that doesn’t make sense. The bodies disappeared so where are they? And the cow they had teeth marks on them, that were not animal.” Emma sat there thinking. Regina was quite sure she could hear her think. 

“Let’s check the news and see if there are any occurrences outside Storybrook” Regina turned on the TV to find no reception. She frowned flicking through the channels. What the hell is going on? Did her cable get knocked off again? 

“Something is wrong with the reception” she threw the remote on the table. Emma was surprised to see the Mayor lose her head over a TV signal. It actually made her quite sexy. 

“Regina” Emma said touching her arm, Regina pulled away from her and walked to her window. She was looking outside. When Emma came up to her

“Ms.Swan, I don’t think this is appropriate” 

“What? My showing concern towards you. Regina I care for you and Henry . I care alot more than you being just Henry’s mom” Emma said. 

“And what now Ms.Swan you have the desire to protect me from all that evil in our town” Regina laughed .

“If I have to yes” Emma blurted out instantly regretting her confession. She just made herself vulnerable in front of Regina. She quickly changed the topic back to the situation they were having at the moment.

“No, I think there is something strange going on “ Emma thought back to everything she had seen that morning. 

“I know, the question is what and where?" Regina said knowing what horrors other realms held for someone who had never traversed through them before.

"Have you seen things like this in the Enchanted Forest?" Emma questioned knowing well that she had never experienced something like this here other than her movies.

"I have personally never experienced it, though I have read of it in spell books, where they were used as armies to destroy other kingdoms" Regina took a sip of he drink.

"Did your mother know about any kind of Magic that could bring about situations like this?"

"My mother was too busy trying to put me down and sell me to the king" Regina said flatly remembering the fateful day the King came to ask for her and in marriage and her fate was sealed.

Emma now looking at the Mayor with pity, something that Regina hated the most was people pitying her. She knew she had a hard life and she fought her way to where she was and she didn’t need anyone showing her pity. She stood up.

“I think we are done here, Ms.Swan” Emma watched as she abruptly ended their conversation and exited the study indirectly telling Emma the evening was over. Emma didn't want to get on the Mayor's bad side so she obliged and left.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning : Rape / Non Consensual, abuse. (Part In italics)

All Regina wanted to do was go and sulk in the privacy of her study. A sense of relief came over her like the walls were buffering all the sadness outside that was waiting to get her. She took off her Louboutin's and placed them in her never ending closet of shoes. She was a perfectionist and a neat freak. The reason, her mother's constant chiding making her OCD. She remembered all the time she tried so hard to keep her sanity while going insane trying to do everything possible to please her mother, Cora. Cora! That name not only brought out a side in her that she hated but also reminded her bitterly of all that she lost. 

She walked into her study and poured herself some cider before she decided to settle down with a book. Tonight she was just going to be herself and relax, no Robin Hood and his honour code and No Emma Swan and her mission to bring back everyone’s happy ending. She folded her legs and picked up one of her favourite classics. As she read through and sipped on the cool, smooth apple ambrosia, she felt at peace but to her bad luck peace doesn't really last long for Regina Mills, especially when there was a certain Ms.Emma Swan constantly on her mind. She'd be damned if Emma Swan was going to ruin her evening alone. She slammed the book shut and gulped down the rest of her cider. She needed to get the blonde out of her head. Why the hell was she so nice? Why was she always constantly worried about her? Caring all the time, making her look like a charity case for love. She poured herself another glass of cider, this was the best way to drown her out of her thoughts. She downed the glass of cider and decided to have another one, within the next hour the Mayor was inhibited with cider. 

Robin left her to be with Marian. Marian who Emma brought back. That was all that was constantly in the back of her mind. Even with dinner tonight it still plagued her mind. That once again her happy ending slipped right through her fingers and there was nothing she could do to change her true love’s mind because he believed in his honour code. He left her, standing there watching as he crossed over with them. His eyes filled with pain and his heart ached for walking away from her, but his mind telling him he had to do what was right for his family. She wished that Emma never came back with the woman. But Emma did not know and Regina had to come to terms with the fact that Emma didn’t do it intentionally. And after tonight, Emma telling her she care-

“EMMA SWAN! the blonde saviour of Storybrook, I am not your charity case” she screamed slurring at every word as she smashed her glass over the fireplace.

She staggered towards the door not before banging her knee into the table and kicking it in turn stubbing her toe. She needed to sleep, she knew she was not going to make it up the stairs so she decided to teleport herself to her bedroom. She collapsed on the bed, not bothered to take her clothes off. Regina was so comfortable, she pull the comforter to cover herself and kicked the bump that was preventing her from stretching her legs. With in no time she was asleep. 

Morning came too soon and Regina was not in the least bit bothered to wake up. Her head was pounding. 

“Oh God!! I wish I had some asprin!” she groaned hoping she replenished her stock that she kept in her nightstand.

“Here. Asprin and water” 

“Thank you” Regina took the pills and water just as she was about to swallow the water, she stopped dead. There was someone in her house, in her room! She opened her eyes to see this was not her room! Nothing in this place was her’s ! Where was she? 

The problem was Regina poofed herself not to her big cosy king size bed in her Mansion but across town to a tiny apartment with a queen size bed.  
She looked up very slowly for fear that the pain in her head might make a blood vessel burst in her brain. There she was in all her golden glory the Savior of Storybrook, Emma Swan looking at her with a smile. The mayor dishevelled hair and mascara smeared all over her eyes. Her lipstick was smeared, Emma couldn't help but stifle a chuckle. Regina looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She saw Emma standing there in a pair of boypants and her tank top her thighs flexing as she shift on her feet , toned arms making Regina swallow hard.

“M-Ms.Swan?” she was clearly confused and lost, pulling the blanket to cover herself. She didn't know she had accidental teleported herself to Emma's room. After clearing her throat which still hurt, she looked at Emma who was waiting for the floodgates of abuses to open

She massaged her temples in a slow circular motion as she felt pain hammering at her head. Every sort of thoughts were flying through her head. Finally after composing herself

“How did I get here?” still trying to get her eyes adjusted to the light streaming so generously through the white curtains. Her bedroom at home had what she loved best blackout curtains. She did have white ones underneath them but at bed time she preferred a perfect night's sleep. “Who the hell uses white net curtains for bedrooms?” she grumbled.

“That would be Snow” Emma replied emphatically. She heard Regina groan in I should have known

“Well, Madame Mayor,you landed on top me, drunk as ever. I was startled with the sudden fall of a dead weight on top of me and was about to club you when I saw your hair. But do tell me what it was you were drinking because your breath nearly killed me.” Emma quipped

“You slept with me??” Regina’s eyes were wide wondering what had happened with the blonde.

“Coffee black?” Emma asked purposely ignoring her question.

“Please” came a prompt grateful reply like she was just offered oxygen. “You slept with me?” she repeated

“I will be in the kitchen, will let you get dressed” she turned her back to leave when she felt a hand on her wrist

“Did you undress me?” Emma looked at the mayor, trying to weigh how her answer would be accepted by the her.

“Yes, you looked uncomfortable” Emma was enjoying Regina’s state of fear that she may or may not have had a drunken night with her. She forced a smile hiding the obvious feelings that the semi naked Mayor brought on last night. She motioned to the mayor where her clothes lay folded on the chair.

“Thank you, but you still haven’t answered my question Ms.Swan” Regina let go of Emma wrist and shuffled as slowly as possible to get to the edge of the bed, every movement on her part was painful. Emma was halfway down the stair when she shouted out 

“I have more respect for you than that!” she remembered there were fresh towels if Regina wanted to take a shower. She made her way up the stairs and stopped in her tracks to drawn in the sight before her. Regina was backing her as she was getting her stockings on. Emma stood there and swallowed hard, she couldn't help but admire her. Her smooth back, her olive skin and her deep dent that went down her back that ended in two beautiful venus dimples before clearing her throat to make her presence known. Regina turned around clearly still not completely recovered from her previous night of drinking, she licked her lips and looked at Emma who quickly looked away 

“I have fresh towels” she opened the cupboard and handed them to Regina without making any eye contact

“The bathroom is downstairs, if you want to take a shower and freshen up” Regina smiled meekly at her, taking the towels from her.

Emma went back down to make a pot of coffee for them. Regina smelt the towels they smelt of Emma, she drew in a deep breath getting lost in the scents of Emma. She wore Emma's fluffy house coat and made her way downstairs to the bathroom. She heard a knock on the door when she was taking a shower. Emma opened the door 

“Here's a toothbrush, its new so you can use it” she closed the door behind her. Emma turned with her back pressed against the bathroom door. The image of Regina's naked body behind the frosted shower screen, made her heart slam against her chest. She realised Regina was so beautiful it hurt to even think of her. Her olive skin, dark hair and honey colored eyes that hid a lot of secrets and pain. She wanted to hold her and protect her. Her curves and beautiful legs, Emma felt a familiar feeling down there.

The whistle of the kettle that the water was done brought her out of her own boiling thoughts of Regina.She got out two mugs and prepared the coffee for both Regina and herself, Snow and Charming had left early in the morning so they must have not seen Regina in her bed. Probably thought Emma fell asleep on the couch watching TV. The bathroom door opened and with the steam from the shower Regina stepped out her hair wrapped up in a towel and her body covered in Emma's fluffy housecoat, it made her look almost normal.

“Coffee” Emma offered her, trying hard to remain calm and casual as possible. Regina took it gratefully and inhaled the much need java boost. She sipped it, it was made perfectly like she liked it. Emma was good at this she smiled to herself. Both women stood sipping on their coffee without saying a word. Just taking little breaks between sips to smile at each other not knowing what to say. Regina finally decided to break the ice, she place the mug on the island top 

“A thank you is in order Ms.Swan” she smiled at her once she was back to her old self.

“You’re welcome, Madame Mayor” Emma decided to keep it as formal as possible, she didn't know how Regina felt about her knowing what transpired between them the previous day. She decided to just watch and see how things went from then on. She felt that they had reached a point where they could talk without gorging each other's eyes out or atleast she hoped they did.

Regina unwrapped the towel form her head letting her wet, dark hair fall over her face, Emma sucked in her breath, she wanted to touch her, she decided to make an excuse. 

“Oh there something in your hair” Regina’s eyes turned wide hoping it wasn’t a spider

The blonde reached out and pretended to pull some invisible fluff from Regina's hair and stealing a little brush off Regina's skin on her finger tips. She felt mini shock waves travel through her body.

“Did you get it?” Regina asked trying to see if she could get it off if Emma didn't.

“Huh? Oh yeah, I did” Emma blushed hoping Regina didn't notice her sorry excuse to just touch her.

“I better be going Ms.Swan, I need to get to the office. Thank you again for your hospitality, at least nothing disastrous happened this time” raising her eyebrow at Emma hinting. Emma didn't want her to leave, but she knew she couldn't hang on to her. Regina headed upstairs and returned after a few minutes dressed and barefoot. She smiled at Emma before disappearing back to her mansion. 

She felt her heart hammering against her chest when she appeared back in her mansion. What the hell was she feeling for the blonde and then sleeping in her bed? Why did she feel the sudden need to want Emma Swan to be near her. As the Evil Queen she had recklessly done things with no fear of the consequence it would bring. She always took what she wanted and discarded it after she was done with it

_“Your Majesty, we found this girl picking berries from your forest grounds” the queen looked at the frighten girl in front of her. She looked 17. She smiled_

_“Tell me Dear, do you know what happens when you take things that don't belong to you?” she snarled at the frightened girl_

_“I'm-I'm sorry, Your Majesty” she managed to say, her voice clearly shaking with terror to be faced with the most feared Queen in the Realm of the Enchanted Forest. The queen walked to the girl , she walked around the girl sizing her up. She raised her chin, she saw the most beautiful, innocent green eyes stare back at her. The queen saw white, pure innocence that she wanted to devour, a burning lust burned in the queen. She could feel the darkness in her wanting the beautiful girl. She was going to teach her what happens when you take things that don't belong to you. That night the castle was filled with screams of the girl, every scream rang with pain and despair. The queen sat on her balcony as she drank some wine and relaxed. Behind her the girl bruised ,battered and shattered, her innocence taken away by the evil queen._

_“Now my dear” the girl looked up in fear, her face battered and bleeding. A mixture of tears and blood flowed down her cheeks “You know what happens when you take something that doesn't belong to you” She stood up and walked to her, the queen wasn't done with her, she was going to have her fill of this girl, everything about the girl made her desire her more. The girl saw the queen's eyes there was only darkness and hate in them. The queen disrobes and takes hold of the girls arm as she throws her on her bed. She cowered away from the queen trying to get away from her_

_“Please have mercy, Your Majesty” All she got was a wicked laugh from the queen_

_“Mercy? There is no mercy for the wicked, child” she ripped off the sheet that covered her body. The girl couldn't take anymore she pushed pass the queen and proceeded to jump off the balcony only to find herself suspended in mid air by the queen's magic._

_“Tsk,Tsk” she heard the queen as she was flown back in and thrown on the bed. This time she felt her hands and legs bound. The queen straddled the girl and held her down by placing her forearm against her neck“You obviously don't know how to please your queen, let me teach you how” the queen picked up a whip and pressed it against the girl's mouth, “Now stupid girl learn how to please your queen” By the time it was all over it was morning. The queen rested against her sheet naked and sweaty. She placed her hand on the side and it was empty. She heard the guard knocking on her door._

_“What is it?” She said without giving permission to enter._

_“Your Majesty, the girl”_

_“What about her?”_

_“We found her body. She jumped from your balcony”_

_“I was wondering where she went, she was a good little one” there was no remorse in her voice, she couldn't care what happened to that girl, she got her fill and taught her a good few lessons on the way. She rose from her bed naked, she covered herself with a sheet and looked out towards the mountains, a ritual she did every morning. On the other side of the mountain was Snow White's castle._

_“Snow white, your world is going to be destroyed once I am through with you” her voice determined with a dangerous venomous tone._

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, trying to forget that girl. She felt her blood run cold when she thought of the girl's screams that night, how she begged for mercy and none was shown to her. There was so much darkness, anger and revenge that the girls please fell on deaf ears . A tears fell from Regina's eyes. Was the hunger for vengeance so strong that she failed to show kindness and forgive a simple mistake of a young girl. That girl who looked so much like Emma, the same blonde hair and green eyes. She recalled the guards bringing her broken and torn body before the queen.

_“Has anyone come to claim her?” she looked at her guard who carried the now lifeless cold body of the girl wrapped in a white sheet.Her eyes open staring accusingly at the queen for taking away her innocence and life._

_“No, your Majesty. But one of the servant's claim’s that they know who her father is. He is apparently a follower of Snow White” the name of Snow White caught the Queen's attention. She narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth at the guard who quickly averted his to avoid the queen's wrath._

_“Take her body and drop it at the forest edge, make sure they know what happens when they cross the Queen’s path” the queen wanted to set an example of the man and his daughter to supporters of Snow White, she wanted that wretched Snow White to know the pain and loss the girl’s father would feel when he saw his daughter’s lifeless body._

What would Emma do if she found out the details about what she had done in her past? Would she help her ? Would she hate her? She was the Evil Queen, who would care for someone like her...  
  
Regina hoped she wouldn’t see Emma during the day. By the time she reached the office her head was throbbing, she sat in her chair trying to collect herself to start her day of never-ending paper work and meetings. The first person to visit her was her PA. She had a bundle of yellow call back slips and a bundle of files for the mayor to approve and sign. 

“Could you please get me some coffee ,water and aspirins” she didn't feel good she wished she had stayed at home and slept off the hangover. She felt her stomach churn and dashed to the bathroom to hurl. Clearly this was going to be one of those days where there is going to be something eventful happening. She groaned as she threw up again.

“Madame Mayor are you alright?” raising her head from the sink , she heard a familiar voice from the other side of the door. Emma!

“I-I'm fine Ms.Swa-arhrr” she was cut off by another rise of acidic vomit, her throat burned from the acid she threw up. Emma couldn't bear hearing her struggle inside, she turned the handle and pushed open the door and saw the Mayor hunched over the sink her face covered by her hair. Emma pulled back her hair, and wet a towel and cleaned the Mayor's face. Once she was done, she helped Regina to her sofa. She knelt in front of her.

“Are you alright?” she repeated her green eyes full of concern for the brunette's well being. Regina felt Emma's hand on either side of her thighs. She nodded as Emma handed her the water to drink. She held the towel against her forehead hoping the pain would stop. Emma sat next to her. She pressed the towel and then took it off to refresh it with cool water. Replacing it back on to Regina forehead

“That must have been some cider you drank last night. Mayor I know your upset about Robin, but killing yourself drinking is not going to help” Regina could feel her anger starting to bubble at Emma's words

“Ms.Swan” she said almost in a hiss with her head still bend back and the towel resting on her forehead “Apparently our little talk at City Hall yesterday hasn't yet settled into you with regard to boundaries” she bit back. She felt Emma's hand on her thigh, Emma felt the Mayor stiffen at her touch, she immediately took her hand off. 

“Ms.Swan, what is it you needed?” she continued hoping Emma would just leave her alone, instead of stirring all these unwanted emotions.

“Nothing.” Regina raised her head in disbelief

“Nothing?”

“I just came to see how you were doing and judging from you chat with your sink, not too good” she said smirking. Regina wanted to smack that smirk right off her face, but right now she wanted to be left alone and every part of her body prevented her from moving. 

“Ms.Swan, do you think you can leave me alone then” Regina was in no mood to sit and look at Emma or hear her talk right now. The woman infuriated her with her constant concern and care.

“Regina, you’re not well, let me take you home” Emma offered

“Ms.Swan, please, I just want to be left alone. What makes you think that I want any help from you in any form after all you do to make me feel miserable? Just stay out of my life and stop badgering me” Emma was hurt at the Mayor tone and her words.

The blonde stood up and gave her a forced smile and left. Regina mentally smacked herself, she knew it hit Emma hard and she couldn’t do anything to take back what she had said. Regina closed her eyes and put her head back hoping the day would go quickly. 

Emma sat and looked through the folders of paperwork she and Ruby had gathered of the investigation. Everything shouted that it was some biohazard. But with no perps to prove it she had to just stick to what she had and investigate further. 

“Hey Rubes!” Emma waved to her brunette friend behind the counter at Granny's as she plopped down on a seat and slumped forward on the counter. It was lunch time and Emma stomach on the dot called to her directing her to Granny's for her lunch.

“Hey Emma!” Ruby came up to Emma from behind the counter. “So how's your day panning out? 

“Mine is total shit hit the fan” she laughed at her own joke.

“Why what happened?”

“Oh the shit wasn't mine it was someone else's I was just a spectator” Emma smirked remembered the Mayor hunched over her sink throwing up. 

Ruby disappeared in the back to get Emma's order ready. The diner was bustling with the usual crowd from the town on their lunch break. Emma didn't want to see Regina. She actually was hurt at the way Regina snapped at her, and thought it was best to stay away from her and keep it strictly business, she had enough on her plate without adding Regina on it. She had always tried to extend and olive branch to Regina but all she got was a glare, a curt reply or Regina going off on her as to how she need to stop interfering in her life.

“Hello Love” she turned around to find Hook standing behind her. Ah, the Pirate, he could smell someone’s despair.

“Hi! Are you here for your lunch as well?”

“Aye, A pirate's gotta eat. And I know Granny makes a mean seafood platter and to wash it down with a killer pint of beer hits the spot. What about you Swan, how's your day going?” he sat down beside Emma as he ordered his lunch. 

“Hmm let me see, other than the usual locking horns with the Mayor nothing much, pretty much a quiet day” 

“Pfff, I am surprised you even bother with that Witch” Clearly Hook had a clear hate towards Regina and he made no effort to hide it.

Ruby brought her lunch out her burger with fries and her Coco . Emma was too hungry to have a conversation right now, all she wanted to do was feed that gnawing feeling that arose in her stomach. She bit into the burger, a trail of tomato and burger juice ran a trail down her chin. 

“Swan, you have something on your chin” Hook said as he reached out with a napkin to wipe it off. Just when he was doing so the door opened and the mayor walked in. She stood there watching the pirate wipe Emma's chin. Narrowing her eyes at the scene before here, Emma sat there oblivious to the mayor presence, until she heard Ruby 

“Good afternoon Mayor, what can I get you?” Emma spun around to meet Regina's glaring eyes. Clearly that brought on a little smile on Emma's face to see Regina jealous of Hook touching her. She knew how Regina felt about Hook because Regina time and again made sure Emma knew about Capt.Guyliner and her making eyes.

“Good afternoon Madame Mayor” Emma smirked at her as she turned her attention back to Hook not waiting for the Mayor to reply.

“Ms.Swan” she heard the sultry voice reply “And Pirate” the second greeting to Hook was far from sultry it was more like the room had just gotten a lot colder. Emma giggled as she noticed how Regina was trying to assert her territory and tried to claim Emma when she hadn’t even admitted that she had feelings for her. Regina on the other had was angry that Emma had her true love and she was left with nothing. Nothing that was created by the blonde who sat before her.

“Your Majesty” Hook greeted her with a little mock bow of his head. Hook always knew Regina was someone to tread lightly with especially when threatened. He noticed how she was looking at Emma. It wasn't the usual way a Mayor would look at someone. Regina caught him looking at her and narrowed her eyes at him.

“Ruby, I will take a kale salad to go with an iced tea please” she stood at the counter tapping her finger on its top, a clear sign that she didn't want to be here, especially with Pirate making eyes at her Emma.

“Damn it! Did I just say my Emma!” Emma looked at Regina mindlessly tapping on the counter top, she decided to let her grovel for some time. She didn't bother to talk to Regina, she was hurt after the morning horn locking. 

Ruby came up with Regina's order she took no time in snatching it up and paying leaving the star crossed lovers to their burger juice chin rubbing. Outside she gritted her teeth at the fact that she even cared what Emma Swan was doing or who was doing it to her. Why does that woman have to ruin her day by showing up at her office first thing in the morning. With Robin going on with his life, and Emma going to the pirate, she was once again left alone. Regina had always looked for love but this time she decided to let love come to her instead of going through the heartache of having no love in return. Atleast her son Henry loved her. Sweet Henry her true love.


	5. Chapter 5

Loneliness, something she had grown accustomed to years ago. She had even come to terms to living her life alone when she created Storybrook. Her initial plan to take Emma from Snow and raise her as her own died when Snow put the child in the magic tree. But what was at that time a good decision for Snow, by trusting August, scared Emma. And then came her need to love someone, and Henry, Emma's son was destined to be hers. As a single mother, she devoted all her love to Henry until Emma came to town and stayed. And then there was a challenge. A challenge that made her feel so alive. All her feelings and emotions that were dormant for so many years were now alive. This was the prophesied child that would break the curse, the saviour. Regina was going to do everything to stop her from ruining what she set to be her happy ending. But then it happened. With all the hate and fights that was original Regina’s fear of losing Henry to Emma, a spark lit. For a year now Regina was cordial with Emma letting her visit Henry as often as she like. Why? She didn’t know then but then she realized the blonde had made a place in her heart. Regina didn’t want to admit it then and she still didn’t want to admit it now. She had found a friend in Emma, but as usual the woman would do something to ruin it. 

Emma sat at her desk, reading through a file, but all she thought about was how disturbed Regina was when she saw Hook with her. Did Regina have feelings for her? Nah! Why would someone as sophisticated and a former evil queen care for an orphan found parents person like her. She tapped her pencil on her head as she read through the file on her table, it seemed to be an old case file nearly 28 years old. The file wasn't familiar, it was not in the book neither was there anyone in StoryBrook by that name. It was like this person was just created as a fake file.

“Hmmm, Who are you ?” She looked through the scattered paperwork to find more maybe a picture of the person but there was none. 

“Maybe a cold case” she said as she closed the file. Her thoughts moved back to Regina, the woman was complicated to her. She tried her best to understand her but she always hit a brick wall. Right now with all the mysterious things happening in town, Emma did not have time to sit and decipher Regina Mills. She was deep in thought that she barely noticed someone watching her. She raised her head to see Snow standing there. She found it odd that she would visit the station at this time of the night 11.40 pm. She got up to meet her at the door

“Mom, is everything alright?” she held her arm concerned

“Emma, I was looking for your father. He was suppose to be off tonight but he hasn't come home yet from his shift” 

“Mom, there's nothing to worry about he maybe just finishing the perimeter check of the borders he usually does that” Emma said with relief. But Snow was not convinced.

“On foot?”

“Excuse me?”

“Because his truck is in the parking lot and so is the sheriff cruiser” Emma didn't know what to say, a sense of something bad was about to happen bubbled in her stomach. She couldn't risk anything happening to him, when they didn't know what was going  
around mauling people. She decided to call David on his phone when Snow stopped her.

“I have already tried that, it keeps coming out of reach” 

“Mom, you go home, I don't want you out at this hour of the night, I will find him and bring him home” She walked Snow to the door before heading to the cruiser. 

“I am going to Granny's” Snow said out of the blue.

“I will drop you off then” Emma was now wrought with worry as to what could have happened to David. She walked up the stairs with Snow to Granny's as they opened the door everyone yelled

“Surprise!” Emma stopped in her tracks, it was a surprise birthday party for her, and there was David standing right in the front smiling. Emma had forgotten it was her birthday with everything that went on that day she barely had time to light her usual  
cupcake, but today it was no cupcake, but a perfect cake baked specially for her. She almost cried at the thought of having her whole family and friends celebrate with her. No wonder David and Snow left early. She looked to see if Regina had come, she was nowhere in sight. 

Emma sighed “Maybe she doesn't even know it's my Birthday, why would she” Hook came forward and hugged Emma

“Happy Birthday Love!” he handed her a rose and a card. She smiled at him that was so sweet of him to keep it from her this afternoon. 

“Thanks Killian!” Emma saw her cake all perfect in every way, Snow handed her a card. It had her name on it.

“From who is this?” Emma asked as she turned the card in her hand there was no name on it other than her’s written very elegantly.

“From the person who baked the cake for you” Snow smiled. Emma opened it to find a note in the card

“Happy Birthday Ms.Swan, I am sorry I couldn't be there to celebrate with you, I hope you can accept the cake as an apology, but I do hope you have a great one. Mayor Mills. P.S – I am sorry about my behaviour this morning that was uncalled for.” Emma felt her heart bursting with joy, Regina actually baked a cake for her, apologised and remembered her Birthday, ofcouse she would remember it was probably etched in on her brain the day she cast the first dark curse. Emma knew now Regina liked her, but had a hard time showing it. She was more into keeping up appearances rather than putting herself out there for everyone to see the real Regina. Emma took her phone out and texted Regina.

Emma: You awake?

After about 5 minutes 

MM: No

Emma: Then you’re sleep typing :P Wanna come to Granny's and eat some cake an amazing Mayor made for my birthday? J 

MM: Ms.Swan, I am relaxing with a book and wine, I thank you for the invite but I think I will stay home.Maybe the sleeping portion I put in the cake may put you to sleep.

Emma: ? Are you serious! 

MM: Goodnight Ms.Swan 

Emma: See that you go to your bed tonight, sleeping on the couch gave me a stiff neck.

MM: Precisely why I am already in my bed reading, Ms.Swan

Emma: Thanks for the cake, see you tomorrow.

MM: Your are welcome and yes I will see you tomorrow, Goodnight Ms.Swan.

Emma:Goodnight Madam Mayor.

Emma smiled to herself thinking of Regina falling into her bed the previous night, it made her feel all warm inside. She was smiling to herself. Regina was warming up to her. She was happy with everyone here but would have been happiest if Regina was there. But she knew that some of the town people still looked badly at Regina. The last thing she wanted was the Mayor being insulted or belitted. She looked at the card again the handwriting as perfect as the woman who wrote it. She felt a hand on her arm. 

“Swan could I talk to you?” it was Hook.

“Sure , what is it?” she said putting her phone into her back pocket and following him to the quieter area of the diner

“I don't know how to say this, but would you go out on a date with me?” Emma looked a Hook stunned, she never expected him to ask her out. Before she could think 

“Yeah sure why not” She mentally punched herself in the gut for her answer without thinking, to pacify herself she thought to herself it's just one date nothing going to change.

“Thanks Love, I will pick you up at 8 Friday then?” 

“Yes that would be great” she smiled as she excused herself to go to the ladies. She didn't have to use the facilities but she just needed a place to bang her head against. What just happened? She just agreed to go on a date with Hook without even thinking. While she liked the guy, there wasn't any romantic feelings in it. She thought of Regina, it was one way there. She knew the mayor had no such feelings for her, so why did she feel she was betraying her. Maybe she has been thinking too much about Regina and was best just to go ahead with Hook and see how that panned out for her. She left the ladies to join the others as they celebrated the Saviour's birthday. Emma was oblivious to the fact that outside the window of Granny's Regina watched her talking and laughing with Hook and the others. Regina was upset when she saw Hook and Emma within close proximity of each other. She knew then that Emma had feelings for the pirate and she would never care for someone like her with her past. Regina knew that her life was never meant for love but only for loneliness. 

Emma woke up the next morning, she felt like she was hit by a truck. That was some birthday party. Although she did wish Regina had turned up too. She was going to have to find away to meet Regina and sit the woman down and discuss the happening's maybe Henry could help. Emma got up to her morning routine which was not much when compared to Regina. She knew the Mayor would be busy with meetings and actually having a sit down with her would require an appointment not a walkin. As she showered her thoughts went back to the case that was leading to dead ends. If there were truly something causing all this chaos then why hadn't they seen it. Perhaps it was a magical being but then why did she or Regina feel the magic strain. She was going to take a walk in the forest areas surrounding Storybrook and she was going to take Ruby with her. 

"Are you having some breakfast?" she heard Snow call out from the otherside of the door as she dried herself off.

"No, I'll grab some on the way to the station, Thanks mom" she stood infront of the mirror looking at herself. 

"Mirror show me Regina" she said and waiting for something to happen. Shaking at her head and laughing at herself for even attempting something like that. "Well, then better get ready for the day" 

Emma tried hard to get an appointment with Regina over the next few days, it felt like the Mayor was avoiding her. Every time she visited the Mayor's office she would either be in meeting or be out. Emma wondered if she did anything wrong to make Regina avoid her like a plague. Emma had gone on her date with Hook, it didn't turn out bad. Infact he made every effort to be a gentleman and make Emma feel like a princess. Emma was flattered by his gesture of bringing her a rose at the door and then offering her his arm as he escorted her for their date, not to mention how dashing he looked without his regular pirate outfit. She was walking down the main street in Storybrook with Hook after their 5th date. 

“Swan, where are you love?” she was jolted out of her thoughts by the arm on her back. 

“Nowhere” she smiled hiding her disappointment of not seeing Regina as she had planned to. 

“So what would you like to do now?” Hook asked her giving her the option to choose what she wanted to do. He was hoping she would choose to stay longer. 

“I am going to go back to the station and meet you later” Emma smiled at him hoping that work would take her mind off Regina.

“Okay” Hook put on his charming smile that always was a winner with the women somehow, with Emma it didn't seem to work that way. As they parted way, Emma spotted Regina walking away from the benches that they often used to sit and sort out their difference or threaten each other. 

“Regina!” Emma called with happiness in finally seeing the brunette, but she just disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Emma titled her head trying to make sense whether Regina heard her and choose to ignore her or she just didn't see her. Emma was going crazy wondering about Regina Mills and her change in attitude towards her. It sometimes was amazing like they were going to kiss and all their feelings would be out in the open and there are times when Regina Mills would be an impenetrable wall with all defences up. Emma was getting tired of chasing the woman she decided to let her come to her. 

Regina paced her office, she had avoided the blonde all this time and today had been particularly hard as she kept playing back the night of the birthday in her head. The thought of the Pirate made her features harden. And seeing Emma and him moments ago arm in arm made her want to burn them to a crisp. She sat in her chair and leaned back, wondering if Emma had managed to find anything new on the recent happenings. She heard her mobile ring. 

“Yes?” she answered roughly as if she was disturbed from her thoughts of killing the pirate.

“Mom?”

“Henry sweetheart, how are you?” the sudden voice of her son made her voice soften she was happy to hear her son's voice. The one true love who always made her day better and was always her lifeline. She knew she could trust him to be there for her no  
matter what, because he knew her better than anyone else. He saw the real Regina, he could read her like a book. He had actually read part of her in a book.

“Mom, I was wondering if we could have dinner at Granny's tonight?”

“But aren't you going to Snow's?”

“I am but that doesn't mean I forget my mom, and I know you have been lonely and sad lately since Robin. ” Regina felt her heart swell with pride for her son, who was so considerate and growing into such a compassionate man.

Regina looked at the clock it was 5:30 pm “How does 7 sound dear?”

“That's sounds great Mom, I will see you there. I love you”

“I love you too Henry” she sat in her chair thinking maybe it will be a good end to her messed up day. 

Regina worked till 6:30 pm and left to meet Henry at Granny's for dinner. She always believed in being at the appointment before the given time, but she also knew her son was as punctual as she was. She entered Granny and saw Henry sitting in their usual booth to the back of the diner. She walked to him and kissed him on his head. 

“Hello darling” she smiled

“Is something wrong?” Henry's eyes filled with concern for his mother's current state. He could see she was tired.

“No sweetheart, everything is fine”

“Mom don't lie to me” he said in a straight but firm tone. Regina sighed knowing the consequences from lying to him in the past. Also he had Emma’s uncanny ability to tell when she was lying.

“I just had a bad day at work”

“Was it Emma?” Regina perked up at Emma's name

“Why would you think that?” Regina looked surprised at her son's blaming his other mother for her bad day.

“Because it always about Emma” Henry said without even looking up from his menu. 

“Great my son knows me better than myself” Regina thought rolling her eyes. 

“And that just confirmed it”

“What did?”

“Your eye roll” he said looking up and smirking at her.

“I always do that, you know that”

“Yes but only to Emma when she is being an idiot or to Grandma. And we are talking about Emma” 

“Henry, what would you like to eat?” Regina quickly changed the topic hoping Henry would stop his onslaught of questions, but knowing him he never did.

“Why don't you just tell her you love her?”

“Henry! I don't love her, I mean I care about her because she is clumsy and careless but I would definitely not call that love.” Regina managed to sputter out at Henry's direct yet honest statement. 

“You’re in denial”

“I am not” Regina said grabbing a menu quickly opening it hoping Henry would stop.

“Oh hey Ma!” Henry waved, Regina froze her face flushed red almost instantly. Henry looked at her and smiled.

“Once again, I proved my point” Regina turned around Emma was not there. She narrowed her eyes at Henry.

“Don't do that” she shook her head getting back to her browsing the menu. She didn’t know why she browsed the menu because she only every had a chicken salad with dressing on the side and iced tea.

Ruby came up to them and took their order before heading away.

“Henry, I do care for Emma because she is your birth mother and that you love her” Regina still trying to justify herself. The door to the diner open and this time Regina heard the familiar voice. 

“Hey Rubes!” Emma walked to the counter as she ordered a milkshake she turned around leaning back against the counter supported by her elbows taking in the view of the diner and its occupants, she saw Henry and Regina. 

“Hi Ma!” Henry waved motioning her over to their table

“Hey Kid!” she made her way to their table. Henry scooted over to make place for Emma to sit. Regina was not to happy to have her there, but for Henry's sake swallowed down her disapproval.

“Madame Mayor” Emma greeted her with a smile

“Sheriff Swan” smiling back in a mayor style. Ruby brought their order and Emma's milkshake to the table. As Emma drank her milkshake she stole a fry or two from Henry's plate. Regina couldn't digest the strange combination this woman had. She suddenly  
felt her ears burn and her neck flush red. Her eyes widened.

“Ms.Swan?” she said trying hard to keep her voice calm. 

“Hmm?” Emma looked at her with a perplexed look trying to figure out as to why she looked so flushed.

“Would you be so kind as to take your foot out from between my legs?” she said through her teeth as she felt Emma's booted foot go right between her thighs. She felt her foot poke her in her sensitive spot. It was now Emma's turn to blush. She look down apologetically and took her foot out from between the Mayor's legs. Henry looked at both his mom's and chuckled at their embarrassment. 

After a rather eventful dinner, they all stood out in front of Granny's.

“Okay mom, I am going to head over to grandma's. Nite, I love you” he hugged Regina and she kissed him on his head before he headed away leaving Emma and Regina alone. 

“Sooo?” Emma said as she stuffed her hands into her pockets looking expectantly at Regina.

“Yes,Good night Ms.Swan. I hope you weren't expecting me to hug or kiss you Goodnight as well” Regina looked at her expecting her to retort something she did quite often with a non eloquent statements. 

“Okay then Mayor, Good night to you too” Taken aback by the sudden change in attitude Regina asked

“So how are things with you and Captain Guyliner?” as if hoping things were bad and they had stopped seeing each other since the past couple of hours. 

“Great, infact I am going to meet him at the Jolly Roger ” Emma said smiling wondering why she was so concerned about them after what happened at the sheriff's office. Emma looked at brunette in front of her, wanting to kiss her so badly. Why did this woman drive her crazy? Why did she want to taste her like she was drug that she could addicted to? Why did she want to protect her and love her?

“Well, then let me not keep you from your true love, Captain Guyliner” Before Emma could say anything she disappeared. She hated when Regina did that mid way through a conversation. Emma stomped her boots into the pavement in frustration thinking also as to how infuriating Regina could be. Emma kicked an invisible can as she walked down the quiet street towards the docks.

Emma reached the docks to find Hook nowhere around."He probably when drinking". She sat on a bench, and watched the dark waters that lapped around the docks making a slapping sound. She was thinking about what was happening in StoryBrook. Everything had turned upside down in the past few days. She thought she was making progress with her relationship with Regina, after the Marian fiasco, unfortunately the previous night's conversation proved otherwise. The woman was a hard nut to crack, but Emma prided herself on cracking nuts. Emma was more baffled about the killings and disappearing bodies. It had been a few day's since it happened and they had made no headway into their investigations. Nothing on TV spoke of anything either. She was deep in thought when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she quickly grabbed it ready to throw the person over. She turned to see Ruby. 

“Ruby! I thought you were an attacker.” Emma said in relief.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” Emma could see Ruby was looking different. She looked up at the sky, there was no full moon, surely Ruby was not transforming into a wolf. Her friend came around and sat beside her. She looked around the docks.  
Something was bothering the wolf.

“What’s the matter Ruby, you seemed distracted” Emma frowned looking at her.

“Emma, I was at the back of the diner and I smelt it.”

“Smelt it?”

“Yes, the same smell that was on the farm, the smell of death. I followed it to the docks. There is something here, but I cannot seem to track it’s exact source” Ruby was looking distressed now. Emma knew that Ruby’s nose never failed her and the fact that she couldn’t find the source of the smell was now causing the wolf to feel defeated. Emma got to her feet 

“Then let’s track it” she knew that it would cheer her friend knowing that she believed her and that she would help her. The two started towards the most probable hiding place for something like this. Emma stopped in her tracks remembering the time Regina was kidnapped and tortured by Owen. 

Tonight the warehouses were dark and ominous. Ruby felt her hair on the back of her neck stand as she started to growl at the warehouse. She could feel things beyond the door. Things that were dark and soulless. 

"Emma, there something inside. We need to approach with caution. It feels non human" Ruby warned.

"Do we need to call Regina?" Emma asked knowing her magic would be no match if the creature was powerful. Ruby nodded. Emma had Regina on speed dial and quickly called her.

"Sheriff Swan?" Regina answered curtly not happy at being disturbed by the woman she wanted to avoid at all costs. 

"Regina, Can you please come down to the dock?" Emma said quietly not wanting to make too much noise as she and Ruby hid behind some crates around the creaking docks. 

"No thank you Sheriff, I don't need to watch you and the pirate make out" she said disgusted. Emma looked at her phone frowning, why would she even think that!

"Regina, Ruby and I have found something with regards to the happenings around town and we need -" 

"Okay what is it?" Emma fell on her back. Regina had teleported herself in an instant not even letting Emma complete her sentence. The Mayor was dress in a black dress and her usual heels. 

"You need to quit doing that" Emma reprimanded her

"Doing what?" Regina answered without making eye contact. 

"This, this thing of sudden poofing in and out" Emma said frantically waving her hands. Regina just snorted at her and kept her eyes on the warehouse. 

The docks were dark and there was no sign of anyone around. The air smelt of the sea and rust.It was There were a few fishing boats bobbing on the waves. A few rusty crates stood in the corner, The three of them decided to make their way towards the building. There was only one light that lit the rotting wooden building name board. The light flickered as it swayed to the wind that blew. Regina stepped on to the creaking wooden deck, the wood seemed old and rotting from years of sea beaten waves. She touched the wooden doors to see if there was any magic barrier set. She frowned when she felt none. She nodded to the other two that it was safe to go in. 

“I think we need to get in there and take whoever it is by surprise” Emma said looking at Regina and Ruby.

“ Ms.Swan, I think you need to rethink you plan of attack, I don't think running in there guns blazing is the answer.” Regina said, looking at the blonde woman beside her. Emma looked at the Mayor, she had nothing but love in her eyes for this beautiful person  
in front of her. Emma, knew that the day Robin left her was one of the most vulnerable time of Regina's life. Although at that time Robin thought he was letting Regina down gently with his code of honor, something snapped inside the Mayor that sent her on a downward spiral, and although Regina was hurting she stood by Emma to help her through anything she required. Emma knew that Regina was there beside her as a friend as she had closed her heart and feelings away the minute Robin left. The warmth that Emma had these past few months were gone, she was still good but her wall to protect herself from heartbreak were up and didn't seem to be coming down anytime soon.

“Ms.Swan! You with me or did some pirate catch you eye?” Regina's voice broke through her thoughts. Regina was wondering if it was the right decision to let Emma handle this investigation after everything that happened between them. She knew she cared for Emma and wanted her safe. Regina heard footsteps coming towards them, she prepared her hand with a fireball ready to throw it into the attacker but she stopped when she heard a familiar voice

“Regina, Emma?" It was David! How the hell did he track them there? Oh, wait Charming's ever loving hope beacon” Regina thought rolling her eyes. 

“Are you guys alright?” David asked concerned. 

“Well Regina here decided not to run in gun's blazing” Emma said smiling at David “What do you think dad?” 

“I think we need to split up, and cover more ground, we will meet back here with any information before we proceed” they nodded to each other and split up. The docks were dark, Regina saw Ruby and David on the other side of the old warehouse and she saw  
Emma heading towards the back of the warehouse.

Emma heard some voices coming from inside the warehouse, she followed the sounds and reached a pile of boxes which she climbed and took a look into the warehouse. She saw two men talking and there was a third person, she had seen them before but where? but she couldn't see the third person. Just as she was adjusting her view, she heard another sound coming from behind her. She turned around just in time to see a gun butt her in her face as it made a sickening crunch when it connected.


	6. Chapter 6

“Regina, did you see Emma, anywhere?” asked David worried when she didn't reach the meet up point after their search. 

“No, I haven't seen her since she went to the back of the warehouse” Regina said wondering where the blonde could have gone now. They looked around the docks it was empty, there was no one there and there was no sign of Emma.

“Maybe she followed whoever was here” Ruby said, hoping she was right.

“Let's wait for her to call us” Regina said scanning the docks. She tried calling her phone, she heard a ringing in the distance, she alerted David's to the ringing as they followed the sound. Behind the crates and rusted drums they saw the glow of the phone.   
Regina picked the phone up and gasped, the screen was cracked and there was blood which was still fresh.

“David, Something terrible has happened to Emma” she said gripping the phone tighter angry at herself for letting the Sheriff go alone. 

“We will find her Regina” Ruby said sniffing the air for traces of Emma's scent. All she could smell was blood with the mixture of sea water and dead. She looked at Regina and David, knowing that if she let on to what she smelt, David would go running around   
looking for Emma.

“What do you smell?” Regina asked cautiously because she knew from the looks of Ruby's face that she found something that was not what they wanted to hear.

“Just the sea” Ruby didn't make eye contact when she said that. She couldn't look them in the eyes and lie. She was going have to track the smell before they did. 

“What do we do with the Sherrif?” Emma heard voices that sounded like they were at a distance , an echo, her head hurt like she was rammed by a truck, hell her hangovers would feel better right now. She tried to move her head and focus on who was talking, she could barely open her right eye and right side of her face hurt like hell hath no fury. 

“What the shit did they do to my face?” she clenched her teeth a sudden pain shot up her jaw making her groan with pain. She tasted the all too familiar taste of blood, her blood. Her arms were pulled back and tied tight. Her feet were bound to the legs of the chair. She tried rattling it hoping it would give way, but she couldn't focus the room kept spinning and it was hard to see from one eye. 

“She's awake” she heard a voice say. “She looks a mess. You didn't have to hit her in her face. You just had to knock her out” the voice was getting familiar. It was one of the men she had seen in the warehouse talking, Emma couldn't speak her mouth was dry and caked with her blood. She licked her dry lips, her throat was dry and it felt like there were a thousand thorns in her throat every time she swallowed, she wanted water but couldn't ask for it. She started to slip back into unconsciousness. 

“Regina, do you remember anything around the warehouse that could give us a clue who took Emma?” asked David as they stood by the boats looking around helplessly at nothing that could provide them with any information. 

“I remember seeing a black jeep parked out back. I went to check it out” Regina tried hard to recall what she saw. 

"I don't recall any new vehicles coming into Storybrook in the past couple of weeks" David said as he scratched his chin.

" Do you think someone got past the barrier? Someone with magic?" Ruby looked at both of them. 

"Surely, I would have sensed any new strain of magic in my own town Ruby. I take magic with utmost caution because I know what kind of magic exists and if it falls in to the wrong hands I know what can happen" Regina hated it when people thought that she   
had been careless or had missed an important detail.

"Regina, I didn't mean it that way" Ruby said quickly knowing she didn't want any misunderstandings with the Mayor, especially not now when they all needed to stick together and find Emma. 

"Wait! The jeep, it belongs to the Black Fairy!" Regina quickly said as she remembered that the woman was nothing but a problem. She had wanted control of StoryBrook and would go to any lengths to get it. 

"Fiona?" David asked looking for a better explanation as to why she would want to hurt Emma.

"David just trust me its her." Regina said with conviction." I know the jeep because she came riding in it to town hall to threaten me" 

“We need to pay her a visit.” 

The drive to the The Black Fairy's home was a long one as she preferred to live away from what she called worthless humans. David stopped outside a massive black iron gates which had two large BF monogrammed on them. The gates confined a tall grey stoned Mansion. The trees rustled as the wind blew leaves in little swirls around the front courtyard. David pressed the button on the intercom and announced himself and the others. The gates opened and they drove up the straight driveway which opened to a circular road that stopped at the front door of the mansion. They were greeted by two guards in black suits. They led them into the mansion and a butler announced them. Regina and Ruby looked around the Atrium which was covered wall to wall with old paintings, and a Dark Coven coat of arms. 

“ The Happiness gang, what brings you to my home?” they saw the The Black Fairy was dressed in a black dress with stilettos flanked by her were two black furry wolf like dogs that were unusually large.

“Jeez she is dressed up at this hour of the night?”Ruby whispered to Regina. 

“We have come here because Emma was kidnapped this evening by the docks, and your cars where there on site.” Regina said stepping forward as if challenging her to say otherwise

“My cars? Regina are you accusing me of having Emma kidnapped?” the The Black Fairy laughed looking at Regina. 

“I saw your car there. I know it's you, where is she?” Regina narrowed her eyes accusingly at her woman infront of her as she took steps towards her, the dogs snarled at Regina as if reading her moves.

“Now ,now Madam Mayor you need to calm down, we don't want any war here between wolf girl and my pets” she smiled looking at Ruby “Though it would amuse me to see who would win”. 

“ As I said I have no reason to have Emma kidnapped. I don't resort to having my goons do my work. I am the The Black Fairy and can handle my own jobs myself” she said looking at. They followed the fairy into her study, which was lined from wall to wall with   
books that were centuries old. She took her seat, while her pets flanked her on either side.

“Now if you want me to find out who took Emma, I can do that, since she is still has alittle bit of darkness in her ” she said taking a sip of her drink. 

“We would appreciate that” David said they turned to leave when the The Black fairy stood up and walked over to Ruby. She looked at her with great interest. 

“I would like this one to stay behind” she said looking at David and Regina

“No way in Hell am I leaving her here with you” said Regina grabbing hold of Ruby's arm and pulling her out with her towards the front door, only to be stopped by the beasts that now blocked their exit . 

“I want her to stay behind” said the fairy not asking . This time her voice was more firmer. Ruby brought her wolf face forward

" I wouldn't do that. My dogs are not of this world.” she said smiling. Ruby stopped and she knew what she meant. She had dealt with this particular breed of dogs known as the Cú Sídhe , they were known to reap souls like grimm reaper would. 

“I wouldn't keep any breed you know, these boys have been in my family for generations.” the fairy said, as she walked up to Ruby, she looked at Regina and pulled the tall brunette away from her.

“Don't worry I just want to have someone to drink with, my son has taught me that humans can be friends as well” she told Regina smiling. “I will have her dropped back home” David took hold of Regina who was still looking at Ruby worried. She saw Ruby   
wave it was okay through the crack of the closing door. She know how deadly the black fairy could be and that she had a personal vendetta against Emma because she refused to relent to the woman's demands.

“If the the Black Fairy comes to know what we are doing she is not going to be too happy” said a tall bulky grey haired man who was looking at another short, skinny man.

“She will never know what's happening and we will make our money on the side.” said the skinny man

“I don't know, I worry if she knows that we are doing this she will burn us to a melted pile of nothing.” said bulky man. "And now we have another problem, the saviour. What the hell are we going to do with her?” he said looking at Emma, who was still   
unconscious. 

“Well you should have thought about that before your hit her in the face. You seem to have really done her face in.” he walked up to Emma, the right side of her face was blue and purple, swollen and bleeding, her lips cracked and caked with blood. He pressed a finger into her jaw, she groaned with pain.

“Great! You broke her jaw! You idiot, we need to get rid of her. She will become a liability to us if she is with us any longer” he undid her binds, Emma fell to the ground not moving, the skinny man kicked her in her side to see if she would move, but she didn't. He grabbed her ankles and dragged her outside to the car. He put her in the trunk 

“Get in” he called out to the bulk man 

“What are you planning on doing?” he said wide eyed

“Cleaning up your mess” he said as he turned on the car and drove it towards the docks. 

Regina was sitting in the car when she felt a sudden dread and difficulty taking a breath. David looked at her, 

"Regina?" she looked at him sweating

“ I don't know why but we need to go back to the docks now!” Regina said as she felt a certain heaviness in her chest. What the hell was she feeling was she having a heart attack?. She gripped the dashboard as she started to gasp for air. David tried to stop the car but Regina was having none of it. 

"Keep driving to the docks!" They reached the docks, it was all quite and dark.

"Where are we going to start?" David asked 

"To the water" she managed to gasp as she pointed to the darkness, something was calling her to the water. She walked quickly towards the water with David trailing behind. She didn't even have anything to use a locator spell. She looked around desperately, then a flash of gold caught her eye at a distance it was floating. 

“Emma!” she called out. David dived into the icy water as he swam to Emma, he grabbed her around her neck and swam towards Regina's outstretched hand as she grabbed Emma's pale lifeless body and pulled her onto the pier. Emma's hair now wet covered her damaged face. Regina pushed back her hair and gasped, “She is hurt bad David grab hold of her we are teleporting to the hospital”. David picked Emma in his arms as Regina held his arm and Emma's and teleported them to the hospital.

"Dr.Whale! We need you right now" Regina shouted from the hallway as David found a gurney to place Emma on. Regina looked at the saviour's face now swollen and bruised.

“Whale, what's wrong with her?” Regina asked worry crowding her face as she watched the nurses and Whale work on Emma.

“Madam Mayor, let me examine her.” Whale said trying to get her out of the room. Whale had the nurses cut through all of Emma clothes, they hooked her up the machines her pulse was weak. He had seen this kind of injuries before and knew Emma had sustained a jaw injury. Whale turned to the other nurse 

“ Prep a room with a special heat unit we need to break the hypothermia” Regina was waiting outside with David . She was leaning on on the wall deep in thought, when the door open and they saw them wheeling Emma out

“Whale what's happening?” she asked as she grabbed his coat

“We are taking her down to x-ray, we don't know the extent of the damage internally yet. We might need to operate on her. She is dehydrated and suffering from hyperthermia. We need to take care of this right now Madam Mayor.” he said as he headed down the hallway to the x-ray room. Regina and David were once again left to wait with absolutely no information on the extent of Emma's injuries. Regina kept thinking back to how she felt suffocated before locating Emma in the water. Why did she feel the Saviour's predicament? She was not connected to her in anyway, neither did they perform any bonding spells. 

“David, We need to find whoever did this and we need to know why. There is enough of unsolved issues going around since the past week and now to have Emma hurt like this. It makes me think that someone wants her dead.” Regina said as she looked down the hallway hoping to see Whale or Emma. Her heart hurt, 

"Emma, I should have never let you be alone, I should have been there with you” she thought. David knew that Regina was probably beating herself up internally for not being there to help Emma. He put his arms around her and gave her a weak smile knowing all too well the woman never used anyone for support as she felt it was a sign of weakness. But he also knew that she was a woman who had been through so much that she felt the need to fight any form of help or comfort given to her. She always felt it was given out of pity. 

“Mayor Mills” a voice broke through her thoughts it was Whale. 

“What is the diagnosis?” she kept her emotions and voice in control when she spoke to Whale.

“She will be alright, but we will have to operate on her jaw, it seems to have multiple fractures. Someone or something really hit her hard. I am surprised she managed to keep herself from drowning. How did you know she would be at the docks?” Whale asked Regina always curious about her magic.

“I don't know, I just felt it” Regina said looking at David and Whale. Whale looked at David as if he had more to say but couldn't because of Regina. 

“I need to call Ruby and tell her we found Emma, she would want to be here too” David said quickly as he moved away to make a call. As he walked away he signalled for Whale to follow. Regina now stood outside Emma's room looking in through the cold glass that separated her from going in.

“David, I didn't know how to tell Regina, but Emma is in a Coma, and we cannot operate on her now, she has to wake up before we do anything. All we can do now is to keep her warm and check her vitals till she wakes up. She has sustained head injuries aswell from the impact on her jaw, and while Emma's can self heal she is too weak to do that by herself” Whale said looking at Regina, who was still watching Emma. 

"I think we will have to tell Regina this, because she is the only one here who can heal her." David knew that they had to let the Mayor know. There was silence between the two men, all they could hear was a phone ringing, a the hospital bustle in the background. It was as if they were taking a decision whether or not . David finally decided it was for the best of Emma to tell Regina. He dialled Ruby to let her know what was happening.

“Yes we are at the clinic, Whale said he would have to operate on her. I will be talking to Regina about it. Okay will see you in abit” David hung up and walked towards Regina and Whale.

“Can I see her?” Regina asked but it sounded more like she was demanding.

“She isn't awake Mayor” Whale said hoping David would hurry over before he actually told Regina about Emma's condition. He knew how the Mayor could get and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.

“I won't take long” Regina was not waiting for a response from Whale. She just wanted to make sure Emma was alright as Whale had said. Somehow she didn't trust the man and needed to see for herself that her Son's mother was alright.

"Madam Mayor, I need to tell you-" Whale sighed he was hoping to tell Regina about Emma's condition before she pushed him aside and made her way to Emma's. Regina held back a gasp when she saw the blonde's bruised and battered face. She walked closer to her bed and held her hand , it was not warm, her soft hands were cold. Regina pressed her hand into Emma's cold hands. She frowned when there was no response.

“Why isn't she responding to me?” she looked at Whale questioningly, "You told me she just needed an operation that she was fine” she looked at Whale accusingly, now knowing the man lied to her face and cannot be trusted with Emma's care. Whale could see her eyes were flashing the same anger he had seen so many times before.

“Madam Mayor, I didn't tell you because you would be upset” Whale instantly regretted saying that because in an instant Regina was inches away from his face her eyes fierce and her teeth baring at him. 

Outside Ruby and David waited for her. They looked up when they saw Whale tumble out into the hallway running towards them. David knew Regina snapped. Regina followed Whale with her hand sparkling.

“Regina!” Ruby called out to her "Don't!" Regina stopped and looked at the tall brunette . She just stood there, she was distant and her eyes still burning with anger. Ruby moved towards her. Regina was there but not completely there. 

“Regina, say something” said Ruby looking at her and then looking at David for help.

“I am going to kill them” said Regina, her eyes glowing purple as she walked past Ruby and David, down the hall to the front entrance. 

"Did you get a chance to talk to her?" David asked Whale who looked at him like he was mad.

"I don't know what happened to the Mayor she just went crazy" David was wondering what made Regina react that way to Emma's situation. He knew she was upset about what had happened but to fly into a rage wasn't like her.

“Emma, will you always be with me.” said a dark hair beauty looking at her face covered with the wind blowing her hair. 

“I will always be there for you Regina. “ said the Saviour. 

She saw dark hair blowing over Regina's face, she pushed her hair back. Confusion hit Emma's face she knew this person, it was a face she knew a long time ago, Evil Queen!, memories came crashing back to Emma as if a storm had awoken within her and her memories were violent waves crashing into her. She saw the sword plunging into Regina, her life draining from her eyes. Her hate for the Evil Queen . Regina's face changed into the Evil Queen with dark soulless eyes and fangs smiling at Emma and then to Regina's face and glowing purple eyes, behind Regina a multitude of creatures came charging towards Emma hissing and screeching with fangs and claws pointed towards her. Emma screamed as she woke up, thrashing and gasping for air, Whale and the other nurses tried to restrain her, she fought them thinking they were the darkling's. David and Ruby ran into the room to help 

“Emma! Calm down. We are here for you” David said holding her down, worried because he had never seen Emma so afraid of anything before. 

“Regina!” she gritted through her teeth, her eyes crazy with anger and fear. She pulled off all the wires and drip connected to her, she kicked a nurse before rolling off the bed and falling to the floor, she pulled herself to her feet and tried to stand up, but lost control of her legs, David grabbed her before she could fall. Whale injected her with valium to calm her down. After the shot took effect, she collapsed into the pillow, trying to keep her eyes open but just couldn't. She mumbled the words 

“Reg-ina” before she drifted off. Whale held Emma's hand as he checked her vitals.

“We need to tell Regina she woke up” David called Regina's phone it rang once

“David” said a serious voice on the other line.

“Regina, Emma woke up.” He said hoping she would feel better now

“I'll be right there”. Regina was outside the clinic, the cool breeze filled her nostrils as she took a breath in and teleported herself to Emma's room. 

“What happened?” she asked showing no emotions. David explained everything to her.

“We need to talk to Gold” she said looking at them. 

"Before that, Regina can you help Whale with Emma's healing so it will help her with her recovery" David looked at the Mayor who nodded her head. She walked over to Emma, and gently touched the saviour's face. She traced the outline of Emma's jaw line that was now covered in a dark purple bruise. She began to send warm pulsing magic to Emma so she could heal her without causing her further pain. Everyone watched on, until Regina frowned

"Its not working" she declared. 

She looked up looking at everyone present in the room. They all looked confused. Regina looked back again and balled up her hands into fists, pressing her fingers into her palms and releasing them again. She took a deep breath, and concentrated on Emma. She focused on Emma's face, on the kindness she had show her when she broke the first curse. Warm magic began to pulse through Regina's hands. She started to see the bruises, lighten. She smiled in relief happy the magic was actually working and Emma would be back to her old self in no time. David was relieved to see Regina smiling. He looked at Ruby to held his arm in acknowledgement of his feeling. Regina moved her hand to Emma's heart and then the other to her head. She started to send magic into healing her. David and Ruby moved opposite her to watch as Emma took in the magic and healed. But this time it was different, Regina could feel her magic being sucked in and not by Emma's magic but by something else. David looked at Regina as she seemed to be in a trans. He saw blood start to seep out of Regina's nose as he saw her struggling to pull away. He ran to her side and wrapped his arms around her waist as he tried to pull her away. The next second she began to cough out blood as now Ruby joined them in trying to detach Regina from Emma. 

"EMMA! LET GO OF REGINA! YOUR HURTING HER" Ruby yelled hoping somewhere in there it would register in Emma. 

All of a sudden there was a blast of magic sending David, Ruby and Regina across the room. Ruby got up looking at David who signalled he was alright. Regina was lying on the floor, not moving. Ruby rushed over to her with Whale who was watching everything that was happening. They turned Regina over and Whale checker her vitals. Physically she seemed alright, it was the magic part that he would require Gold to check and Regina never trusted the Blue Fairy. They carried her to the sofa and were about to call Gold when they heard her groan.

"Regina?" David knelt beside the sofa, gently wiping the blood from her face. She blinked her eyes open trying to focus on the faces staring at her. 

"What happened?" she asked groggy. The taste in her mouth made her cringe. It was metallic. She looked at the swab in David's hand and knew it was her blood. 

"Something happened when you were healing Emma. I think it better we talk to Gold before you do anything like that again" Ruby said not wanting either women to get hurt. 

Whale decided to operate on Emma when Regina was not around because of the current condition of Regina's state of mind was in with regards to Emma. He didn't want to ignite the Evil Queen in her. He asked Ruby and David to keep Regina away for the rest of the day hoping he could get Emma fixed up and rested. 

After their talk with Whale, the trio decided to pay Gold a visit. They met Gold at his shop where he was none too pleased to see them. As usual Gold knew of everything that happened in the town before anyone went to him. It was his way of keeping ahead of the game and being able to magical items with requirements from people. They explained what had happened to Emma .

“I knew something was wrong, I felt it.” Gold said with a smirk. 

“Gold, there is something we need to ask you .” said Ruby looking at David for some help “Yes,um, Gold, why can't Regina heal Emma?” he asked looking at Ruby, Regina now was at full attention listening, wanting to know why that was.

“A bond has to be formed to save, and there has to be a need to save. There person being saved has to have no malice or pain or guilt towards the healer. Magic is after all energy which works both positively and negatively and it is wielded by emotion. Emma may have not wanted to be healed or saved at the time so her body rejected it. ” said Gold.

“So the first time I tried to heal her worked but when I put it on her heart and her head"

"That's when her magic recognised the healer" Gold concluded. 

Regina was thinking deeply, when Ruby's phoned beeped it was Whale the operation was done and Emma was in recovery. Ruby nodded at David it was time to head back. 

“Gold will you come to the hospital to see Emma?” Regina asked standing up.

“I will, but not now, there is something I need to take care of first” he said as he bid them goodbye. 

The drive back to the hospital was a long one and quiet one. Regina was only thinking of Emma. Ruby and David on the other hand were wondering how Regina would react knowing that Whale operated on Emma when she was not informed or around. They pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, Regina got out she saw the other two still sat in the car.

“Aren't you coming in?” she asked looking confused.

“I have to make a call to station something about a case I will be in after it” David said. David decided to call Snow and Henry to let them know what was going on as well.

“I have to..hmmm I have to visit the ladies, yes that's what I need to do” Ruby didn't want to be around when Regina unleashed on Whale. Regina just shrugged and walked down the hallway of sterile white hospital, everything looked spotless. Her mind was on what Gold said about the bond with Emma in order for her to heal. 

“How could I not see Emma's suffering? Am I that blind?” she thought to herself as she opened the door to Emma's room. She stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she saw the bed was all made up and empty. There was no Emma. She ran out into the hallway

“WHALE!” she shouted “WHERE'S EMMA? WHALE!” all she heard was her voice getting louder and louder. 

Whale walked into the hallway confused about all the noise. Regina stormed at him her eyes glowing purple and pure anger showing on her face.   
“WHERE IS SHE?” she growled. 

”WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?WHERE IS SHE WHALE?” Regina was yelling in Whale's face, Whale had half a mind to stab the Mayor with a valium before she went Evil Queen on him. 

“Madam Mayor, calm down, she is in recovery” said Whale calmly knowing that David and Ruby had not informed her of the operation. He saw the brunette's eyes turn back to brown and confusion replace her angry expression.

“Recovery? What for?” she asked “What happened? Did she have another attack?” 

“Madam Mayor, I had to operate on her, that's why she is in recovery, the operation was a success ” Whale said waiting for another outburst from her, he saw David and Ruby in the background ready to jump on Regina incase Evil Queen showed up. Instead Regina, just looked calm.

“I want to see her” was all she said. Whale nodded and took Regina to the recovery were she was so relieved to see her Emma resting. Emma was hooked up to machines that monitored her and was resting peacefully. Her face was now sutured and bandaged. Regina walked to her bed side and held her hand. She sat beside her. “I want to be alone with her please” she said looking at the others who just nodded their heads and left the room. Regina looked at Emma lying so still, “How do I form a bond with you to help you heal?” said Regina holding Emma's hand tighter. 

There was a sudden spike in Emma's heart beat, the monitor started to beep and in seconds flat lined, Whale burst into the room 

“ Get her out now!” he shouted Regina didn't move she just stood there in disbelieve and shock. 

“She's..she's dead”


	7. Chapter 7

David came in and grab Regina. Her legs wouldn't move. Everything around her was moving in slow motion, she saw Whale on top of Emma trying to revive her. She saw David saying something to her and Ruby standing in the door way. Everything was a blur all she could hear was the machine's sound of flatline. 

“No No No” she started saying softly. 

“WE GOT A PULSE , SHE'S AWAKE” shouted Whale, Regina quickly made her way to Emma's side, she saw Emma's eyes were open and she was looking at Regina

“Emma” Regina said her voice flushed with relief . 

Emma looked at her with hate and hissed “Evil Queen” .

Regina's eye widened in horror at hearing what Emma said. She backed away from Emma.

“Emma it's me Regina” she said looking at Emma in shock, she suddenly realized that Emma's eyes had changed. There was no recognition only a awakening of hate in her eyes. Hate she had seen in so many long time ago. But the real Emma never hated her nor did she hate the Evil Queen, so who was this. Regina placed her hand on Emma's arm but in an instant, Emma caught Regina by the neck 

“Em-ma Let Go” Regina gasped, her grip only got tighter. Emma's green eyes started to glow gold, Regina couldn't understand it. David pulled Emma off Regina. She looked at him, until her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the bed. 

“What-what the hell was that?” Regina said coughing and feeling her neck.

“I think it has something to do with her nightmare she saw. You need to form a bond with Emma” David said looking at Emma who was lying peacefully in bed. 

“There was something different about her. She is not the same. Something has awakened. We need Gold here” 

“Someone called” said a voice behind them.

“About time ” Regina was relieved to see the imp.

“I see Emma has woken up” Gold said looking at the sleeping Saviour

“Yes she was awake for sometime” Regina looked over to the blonde not wanting to get close.

“No, her soul awakening. Did something happen for her sudden need to protect?" Gold ran his hand over Emma to see if there was a change in the magic strain.

"She had a nightmare and was calling Regina, Evil Queen" David looked at Regina who still was not showing any signs of moving closer to Emma. 

"Ah that probably triggered it. The awakening where the soul's essence opens and the traits that are within come out to empower the magic she wields. ” said Gold

“So what is Emma's?” asked Regina looking at Gold with raised eyebrows. Knowing she was not going to like what the man had to say.

“I don't know until she wakes up, your majesty, but I suggest you not be around when she does because I know she will try to kill you” said Gold with his usual smirk.

“Your past, that's all that she will sees. ” said Gold with a hint of spite in his voice. Regina turned away and walked out of the room, she couldn't believe what was happening. So everything she had worked so hard not to be Emma saw her as only that. 

"Regina?" she looked up to see Snow and Henry looking at her. When did they get there? 

"Mom, are you alright?" he looked at his mother, her eyes told him something was very wrong. He helped her up and wrapped his arms around her neck " I love you mom, nothing will change that" He needed to go and see Emma. He gave her hand a final   
squeeze before he followed Snow into the room.

“Emma” Snow touched her forehead as Emma began to stir. 

“Mom” she said frowning in pain.

“Hey sweetheart, you gave us all a scare” she said as she stroked her hair 

“Regina?” she asked looking around the room for Regina. She remembered Regina being there.

“She is gone.” said David hoping Emma would realize that Regina was a friend and not the enemy.

“Gone? Dead? The Evil Queen stabbed her” was all that she said in anger.

“Okay, I think this is the time we knock you on your head and put you to sleep” said Ruby knowing they were not going to get anywhere with her right now.

Granny's was quiet. The usual crowd was not around. And Ruby being at the hospital it was only Granny at the diner. Granny was cleaning up some glasses as the last towns folk left for the evening. Regina came in and sat at the bar.

“Hello Granny! Could I have one of your best shots ” Granny took one look at Regina and knew something was wrong.

“What happened?” she asked her Regina just looked at her defeated. 

“Emma happened” Regina said sadly

“Emma woke up?” 

“Woke up and had an enlightenment and almost choked me to death with her Saviour death grip” Regina said downing her shot. 

“You mean awakening?” said Granny as she pour her another shot

“Why does this happen to me Granny? Maybe I deserve it. I just make a friend who I can trust and rely on to have my back and my past comes back as a stark reminder that I am not destined to be happy in my life time” said Regina looking sadly at her shot.

“Mayor, sometimes head injuries can be traumatic. Give her a few days to get back to normal then you see she will be our good old clumsy Emma” said Granny .

“No Granny, its not the same this time you didn't see her eyes.” Regina said remembering the golden glow in Emma's eyes and the hate it reflected for her kind. Her heart hurt . David walked into the diner and sat beside Regina, looking at her, not saying a word.

“How is she?” she asked quietly. 

“She is awake” he said trying to read Regina's face but he saw nothing but sadness on the Mayor's face. The same sadness he saw when Robin left with Marion. David knew that Regina although alot had happened between Emma and her, she still cared for Emma. He took a sip of his beer

“I want to see her David, but I can't because she hates me” Regina said sadly. David held her hand 

“She doesn't hate you. She hates the Evil Queen because she stabbed you, The real Emma loves you” he said reassuring Regina

“But what if the Emma we knew was never the real one? What if this is who she is.” said Regina recalling the time in Enchanted Forest when Emma told her it was not what Boston did to her it was what she did in Boston. She got up and walked out of the diner she didn't want to be around anyone right now. 

“Regina, its best you rest” she heard David from behind her like he read her thoughts. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to face the same eyes that she had grown to care for. Emma's green eyes.

“We need to take care of the case we have in hand, we have to let Emma be. She will come back to us” said David 

“How do you feel Emma?” asked Whale checking on Emma's vitals on progress, she checked her jaw which seemed to have healed from Regina's magic. Her bruises were now just little light brown patches. Emma looked at Whale her eyes showed worry, 

“When can I go?” she asked sitting up.

“You can leave once I give you the all clear” said Whale as he wrote out her report. “You will need to rest for a few days before you can hit the ground running. Will you be staying with Snow and David?, because its best to have someone to care for you while you recover” said Whale looking up from her report he didn't mention Regina as he knew what foul reactions he had seen before.

“Yes, they are the my parents so that's obvious” she looked down at her feet as she tried to recall why Regina wasn't there to see her.

"Well I'll let you rest and will check on you in abit" Whale turned and left leaving Emma to her thoughts.

Emma stayed a week in the hospital and was given the all clear by Whale as she seemed to be self healing well. Emma hadn't seen Regina since that night and was unhappy she didn't get to see her. She looked at the morning newspaper, as she waited for Snow to finish talking to Dr.Whale .There was news on the new happening in town. The case they were working on seemed to have been now headed off by David and Regina. She didn't want Regina heading this and she needed to find away to get her off the case and she didn't want her in danger knowing what happened to her at the warehouse. 

“Yes she does have to take it easy although she seems fine there is still the matter of the Evil Queen thing, if you know what I mean" Whale said laughing as Emma boring holes into him with her eyes. 

“I will stay make sure she gets every bit of rest” Snow said looking lovingly at Emma. Snow gathered Emma belongs and her medications for the week. She was due back for a check up the following week to see how she was getting on. 

At the apartment, Snow made sure that Emma was as comfortable as possible. She looked after Emma 24x7 and that was starting to bother Emma, she was not used to being waited on. 

“What would you like to eat?” she heard Snow's perky voice 

Emma snorted

“ I hate that voice, it's like she singing to the birds” she thought to herself, she looked at Snow 

“Anything is good for me, Thanks”. Emma sat on the couch in the living room, watching TV but could hardly concentrate on what was going on, her mind wandered off to case and what were the possible new leads as Regina had given strict orders that she was to be kept off it. 

“I can't believe I'm not allowed to get involved, I'm the fucking sheriff”.

“Here you go, a yummy sandwich.” 

“Gee, thanks” 

“Is there anything else I can get you, I have to head out to meet David for lunch.” Snow said as she turned to look at Emma , her face suddenly changing looking seriously at Emma. 

“Okay, I'll come with” pushing herself off the couch

“No you stay and rest, We can handle this” Emma needed to be in the thick of everything.

“I will keep out of the way, anyway I could use some fresh air” she said struggling off the couch, much to Snow's protest she finally gave in. 

David and Regina were waiting at the diner for Snow to arrive. When she walked through the door with Emma beside her, David heard an audible gasp emit from Regina. She wasn't expecting Emma to be there and she braced herself for an Evil Queen onslaught. As Snow helped Emma slide into the booth and she sat down. An eerie silence settled between the four of them. David looked questioningly at Snow as to why Emma was there. Snow looked at him helplessly. Regina on the other had made no effort to make eye contact with Emma. She was going to avoid the blonde at all costs. 

"So where are we on the case?" Emma looked at Regina who refused to make eye contact with her. Emma looked at the table in disappointment. Did she do something to hurt Regina?

"Well, there have been no new cases or sighting. That's a good sign." David looked at Regina hoping she would continue, when she didn't he continued

"However, we still haven't managed to narrow it down to who might be behind all this and why."

"In other words we got nowhere" Emma growled in frustration.

"Ms.Swan, I don't even know why you are here as we can take care of the case. You need to rest" Emma's eyes immediately lit up when she heard Regina speak to her. She had a wide grin on her face. Regina frowned at her and shook her head.

"Have there been any magic traces found?" Emma asked looking directly at Regina.

"None" was all she got. 

"We need to check the warehouse again. That night those men were there with a purpose. They were talking about moving something" Emma recalled as their lunches were served.

"Can you remember what?" David asked leaning forward. May this was the break they needed. 

"No, I can't. But hopefully everything will come back to me" she took a bite of her burger, she felt like she hadn't eaten one in forever. The rest of the lunch went on without a word and Regina making a quick exit to her car without even looking at Emma. 

Regina sat in her study looking through some papers. She heard a knock on her door

“Mom?”

“Yes my prince ” she looked up to see her son at the door peeping in. He usually did that when he wanted to ask her for something. She smiled at him which encouraged him to enter the room and sit down and talk to her. 

“Mom, I was wondering if I could go to Grandma's place tonight.”

“Why Henry? Is everything alright?” she said taking off her glasses and looking him over. Henry had the same eyes like Emma.

“Yes its fine. It's just that I haven't stayed there in awhile” Regina looked at him, was he leaving her to live with Emma. Her fear of losing him to Emma crept up like a dark shadow. 

“You want to stay with Snow?” she repeated trying to understand what he was saying

“Yes, but only for a few days if that's alright with you. Then I will be right back with you” Regina was relieved but at the same time afraid that Henry may never come back to her. 

She had always only wanted someone to love and to love her back. Here was Henry who was the world to her and she felt if she held on too tight she would lose him. 

“Sure, sweetheart you can go if it's okay with Snow” she smiled as Henry stood up and left the room, leaving her there again with her loneliness and the never-ending silence that came with her life. 

With Henry going to Snow's she knew Emma would have to come here on some excuse or the other to get stuff for Henry. She would make sure she wasn't home to greet her. The fact that she was going out with the pirate made Regina's stomach turn. The fact that the pirate had his hands on her and his lips. She heard a crack. Looking down at her hand she had snapped her pen into two. She stood up in anger, and headed to her bar to pour out a glass of wine. Not bother about her usual wine tasting refinements instead just gulping down the grapey liquid , images of Emma and the pirate flashing as it went down, she gritted her teeth, her lips quivered with anger. The light from the fire place reflected shadows of the past on her face as Regina stared at it. She remembered how insecure she was about Emma taking Henry away from her. How she tried everything to kill her but it backfired and Henry got caught in it. She shook her head as she bit her lip drawing blood. This time it was different, this time it was Hook taking Emma away, and Emma being the idiot that she was wouldn't even notice the feelings she had for her. 

“Why do I have to fall for the wrong ones?!” she shouted out in frustration. 

Robin was supposed to be her destiny, her happy ending, then Emma happened. Why is it every time she was near her happy ending Emma was always there to steer it away from her? And now she is with that pirate. What does she see in him? What has he got to offer her? Regina was clearly angry, she needed some air. She decided to go for a walk and clear her mind. Emma was getting to be a problem for her. She needed to get away from her. Maybe it was good Henry was going away for a few days, maybe she could go somewhere. But where? She had never left StoryBrook alone. She had always gone with Emma. Emma again. She heard a knock on her front door furrowing her eyebrows she didn't recall she had invited anyone over. She walked to the front door to find Henry letting Snow in. That was quick she thought to herself.

“Good Evening Regina”

“Good evening Snow” Regina forced herself to smile at the woman for Henry's sake. 

“Henry called me saying he wanted to stay a few days with us. So I thought I'd come and talk to you before taking him home” 

Home that word made it sound as if her home was just a halfway house for Henry. Henry looked at her hoping she was okay with letting him leave with Snow tonight. Regina held back her disappointment of thinking Henry would change his mind. It seemed as if she wanted to get away from her. That hurt a lot, but she loved him and his happiness was everything to her. She nodded her head to Snow.

“I told him he could go and stay a few days if it was alright with you” Regina sighed seeing happiness shine on her son's face. 

She knew the loneliness was only meant for her and not Henry. He had always loved to be surrounded by family. Regina had hoped that she would be enough for him but she wasn't. She resigned herself to the fact that Henry loved Emma and her family more than he would love her, the evil queen. 

“Goodnight mom, I'll see you in a few days, I love you” he hugged her as he followed Snow out the front door with his bag, leaving Regina standing once again alone in her fortress of solitude. 

Emma had too many beers and so did Hook. She felt like she was riding on waves as the Jolly Roger gently bobbed on the waves that came into the docks. 

“So love, you wanna do something?” he slurred as he proposed they go to bed with a naughty grin

“Nah, I zhink I am gonna to hobble home on whatever digerty I ave left” Emma stood up and swayed on her unsteady feet. She though the ship was swaying from side to side. 

“Whoa a storma coming?” Hook stood up on his not so steady feet to peep out of the window, all he saw was a mirror calm waters and a clear night sky.

“No lass, I think the storm is within you” he looked at her with his eyes almost closed. Emma held the table and then the beam to make her way to the stairs, Hook made an attempt to follow her but plopped back down on his chair.

“I'll zhow mytelf out, Cook don't wooly” as she stumbled on the first step. 

“I'm right” she went up and was hit with a light sea breeze that made her run to the side of the Jolly Roger and throw up. Not a very charming sight, she thought to herself. Wishing she could just teleport herself back home into her bed would have been nice, but she knew her magic was not stable enough to get her there. Hell, if Regina couldn’t teleport into her own bed when she was drunk, Emma could only imagine where she would go. She took a decision to do it the old fashioned way, Walk home. Making her way to the dock she saw a woman looking at her. She was wearing a black pea coat, boots and looked a lot like Regina. She laughed to herself, 

“Regina, keep seeing her everywhere.” She waved her hand straight at the person’s face making a slap sound on contact. 

“Ms.Swan!” Emma's eyes grew wide as she realized that it was really Regina and not just a drunken illusion.

“Mayame Mador” she said smiling. Regina was clearly disgusted with Emma right now how could she be so drunk, obviously she was with that good for nothing pirate. Emma came close to Regina's face 

“You are so bootifal” Emma touched Regina's face smiling all goofy and looking lovestruck. 

Regina pulled back from her with absolute revulsion. Seeing Emma in that condition she blamed her company she kept .Pushing Emma's vomit and alcohol hand away from her face she had half a mind to leave the pitiful looking Saviour to wobble her way home, but then she thought back to how Emma looked after her the previous night when she accidentally teleported into her room uninvited. 

“Ms.Swan, this is not the way a sheriff should behave.” Regina's tone was condescending and irritation was evident in the way she said behave. 

Emma was too drunk to notice the tone. Regina suddenly looked up into the darkness that surrounded the docks. There was something watching them. She felt it was best to take her home. She teleported them to Emma's front door, she knocked and teleported away leaving a drunk Emma leaning against the frame of the door. Regina had no intention of meeting the Charmings and listening to them lecturing their daughter on the pros and cons of drinking. She needed to just spend time by herself but not in her home, she didn't want to be there alone tonight. She walked to Rabbit Hole and saw the usual crowd hanging around there discussing their day. She slid into a seat at the counter, the bartender came up to her and asked her what she would like to drink. Regina orders a large glass of red wine. 

Sitting at the bar rolling the wine in her glass Regina wondered when did her life get so complicated. Before the curse was broken she was fine she had Henry. Then Snow gave Henry the book and that brought the Saviour here. The curse was broken and a whole dam of past actions came flooding back from the Enchanted Forest to StoryBrook. Regina sipped her wine, she sighed to herself wondering if maybe Emma being in StoryBrook was effecting her in more ways that she thought. The woman was persistent and a constant nag. She was worst than the cricket. Regina didn't know whether she hated her or just felt sorry for Emma. She knew her life was sad and that she had always had sadness surrounding her, she grew up without a family, and constantly felt unloved. She was always pushed to do what others wanted, hence building a street smart attitude. Though she had the bad end of the stick she made sure everyone around her was happy. Their common link. Another sip. But why was she so interested in constantly badgering her. Everywhere she turned Emma was staring her in the face. She always had to rescue her from situations. Well, not anymore. Regina gulped down her wine. She was going to let Emma Swan deal with her own problems and let her come to her. 

Emma woke up the next morning with a monstrous hangover. She couldn't believe how much she had to drink. She woke up squinting at the sunlight “Now I know what Regina meant with the white curtains” she groaned as she gingerly made her way to the edge of the bed. She hung her head trying to get hold of her bearings before she attempted to stand up. 

“Well, at least I got home alright” she smiled but her smile didn’t last long when it suddenly dawned on her 

“Wait” she straighten up, “How did I get home?” trying hard to recall the previous night. 

“A woman helped me, Regina! Oh shit!” Emma slapped her already aching forehead and winced in pain as she remembered she made a fool of herself in front of the mayor. She had to talk to her to explain. She got off the bed not before falling back down on it again groaning. She cautiously got off the bed this time inching her way to the staircase. 

Downstairs Snow was preparing breakfast and brewing coffee, when she saw her daughter come down the stair looking like she was in a storm. 

“Goodmorning” she said in her cheery voice

“Aww Mom! Your voice hurts my head” pressing the side of her temples with her cold fingers. 

“Well it better after the way you came home last night, I hope you didn't drive home in that condition” Snow continued frying eggs and bacon.

“No, I think Regina dropped me home”

“Regina? But you were alone when we opened the door.” Snow looked at Emma with a raised eyebrow. 

“Clearly you had far too much to drink if you were hallucinating that Regina dropped you here” Emma was pouring herself a cup of coffee. She needed to have caffeine, her mother's voice seemed so distant right now. 

She could only see the dark liquid calling to her. After she was done with her coffee Emma decided to take a shower and get ready for work. Grabbing her jacket and heading out, for a second Emma contemplated on stopping by Regina's office to talk but decided against it, because knowing Regina and her short temper fuse and she wasn’t even sure Regina dropped her home, she didn't want her day to start with a fireball. 

Regina was in her office working through her morning paperwork. She couldn't believe how many requests came overnight. She then found one from the sheriff station. As usual Emma wanted to add to the budget. Regina was getting tired of this constant increase in either staff or other expenses. She stood up and poofed herself to the sheriff office. She found Hook sitting on Emma's desk while she spoke to him, smiling. The sight made Regina's stomach do a somersault. 

“Sheriff Swan” She walked into the office without even bothering to knock knowing this kind of PDA didn't require courtesy especially during work hours. Emma jumped out of her seat practically knocking Hook to the floor.

“Madame Mayor” clearly Emma's cheeks went red thinking about the previous night and Regina catching her with Hook now, but Regina showed no emotions she just waved a paper in Emma's face irritated and glared at Hook like she was burning him with them. 

“Why do I need to increase the Sheriff's office budget?” Regina asked menacingly. Emma found it odd that Regina was getting so mad at just a mere budget increase request.

“Calm down Mayor. You have the right to refuse it” Emma looked at her hoping she hadn't set her off on another attack. Something was seriously bothering the mayor and Emma wanted to know what.

“Don't tell me to calm down” Regina bit back hissing at her. Clearly Hook's presence was setting her off. She needed to leave before it got out of hand. She shoved the paper into Emma's hand and poof away immediately leaving Hook and Emma standing there stunned and confused

“The change?” Hook said raising his eyebrows questioningly at Emma. Emma punched him in the shoulder shaking his head, but her curiosity didn't die down. She now wanted to know more than ever what set Regina off. Hopefully she wasn't reverting back to being the Evil Queen!

Regina back in her office tried her best not to jump to monstrous conclusions, her adrenaline was at an all time high. She just hated the fact that Hook was even near Emma but what added to the hate was the fact that Emma let him do so freely. She wanted to burn something her head was throbbing with the thoughts of Emma with the pirate, their lips touching, his hands on her body and then taking her in his bed.   
“EMMA!” Regina screamed in frustration as she grabbed the thing nearest to her and sent it smashing into the wall. Regina stopped and looked into the mirror her face flushed not with anger but jealousy. She slammed her hand into the glass hoping the pain would take her thoughts away from Emma and the pirate. She ended up with a hand full of glass shards and blood seeping through every wound. 

“Damn you Emma Swan” the frustration of not understanding why she felt so jealous of the pirate near Emma. She felt like her friend was being taken away from her. Why the hell was Emma letting him near her?


	8. Chapter 8

Regina was invited to have dinner at Snow's again. She knew it was of no use her putting up a fight so she graciously accepted the invitation. She expected the Emma's date to be there. Sitting together all in love and mocking her. To her surprise when she arrived it was only the Charmings. She was happy maybe her food would go down better this go around. They sat and discussed old times and all through dinner Emma watched Regina as she spoke. Every word that came out of the Mayor was like ambrosia for Emma who sighed, until Henry poked her arm with his fork and she yelped. Regina snorted looking at her knowing very well that Emma was watching her all along. After dinner, Regina and Henry said Goodbye and they headed home. Upon reaching home Henry kissed Regina Goodnight and headed off to his room. Regina busied herself with some work in her study until she heard the door bell ring. She looked at the time and found it rather strange that someone would be calling at that hour of the night. Making her way to the front door, she found the familiar Red Jacket and blonde hair.

"And what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" she asked raising and eyebrow at Emma. She grinned and held out a backpack

"I'm not into sleepovers Ms.Swan" 

"It's Henry's he left it" Regina sighed she move aside to let the blonde in. No use keeping her standing on the front porch. Emma made her way to the top of the foyer and was about to call Henry when Regina silenced her. 

"He has already gone to bed" she took the backpack from Emma and place it at bottom of the stairs. She motioned Emma to follow her to her study and close the door behind them.

She pour herself a glass of cider and offered one to Emma. She stood by the window looking out into the darkness.

"So where's the pirate tonight? Thought you would have gone to him for a night cap" Regina said bitterly as she sipped her cider

"Hook, I haven't seen him since morning, must be busy"

"Yes, busy, never know Hook to be busy unless it involved a bottle and a body" Regina turned to Emma

"Why did you come here Ms.Swan? Surely it's not for a backpack and I definitely saw you eyeing me at dinner" Regina decided to just be honest and hoped Emma would do the same. 

“Well, I wanted to return the backpack and also discus- “ Emma voice trailed off. Regina looked at her wondering what made the blonde to stop talking something she had been trying for such a long time to do. She saw Emma’s eyes widen in horror.

As she turned to see a face staring back at her from her window. Regina mouth opened but nothing was coming out. Emma thought the mayor was having a heart attack as she watched the face with jaws open and close staring at her with a glassy eye. Its skin a sickly grey with sharp teeth and bloody gums, its breath coming thick and heavy on the glass. Regina could see clumps of hair missing from its head like it was either pulled off from its roots or fallen off from decay. Emma moved to Regina’s side and gently eased her away from the window as Regina felt bile rising in her throat. She threw up in the waste bin beside her table. 

"So much for dinner" she thought

Emma held her close and gently guided her to the sofa away from the window. She turned off all the lights to the study so as to not let them see in. She needed to check on Henry, but couldn’t she leave Regina down here. As if Regina read her thoughts she whispered “Henry” Emma nodded her head and dashed up the staircase to his room. She knocked on the door and opened it to find the room in darkness. Henry was sitting by the window looking outside. 

“You saw it too didn’t you?” he asked quietly. Emma knew that Henry saw the thing at the window. 

“Yes and so did your mom” Henry took a deep breath and looked at Emma.

“It’s not the first time it’s been here. It has been moaning in the nights around mom’s study like there’s something there.” Henry looked at Emma he realized that she had left Regina alone in the study “Mom?”

“Henry we have to go to your mom” Henry nodded and went with Emma both running towards the study to find Regina looking terrorized by the sight at the window. There were 3 more outside. They were looking at Regina all of them in staring hungrily. 

“Regina we have to go” she said trying to get the brunette to her feet. 

“Emma, what are they?” Regina finally asked as Emma led her into the foyer.

“I don’t know but I think they are all connected to everything that has been happening. But we need to find out how and where this started. We need to get to Whale. But first I need to get my clothes” Emma made a quick dash to the laundry room to change and then headed back to them. 

“Ma, we need to know there are none in the front of the house or near the car” Henry said. He quickly turned off the lights in the mansion and waited with them before going to the front door and taking a peep outside to through the door frame windows. 

“We can use magic if needed. Mom can shoot them with fireballs” Henry whispered.

“I don’t think that’s advisable as we don’t know what would happen or how they would react, we don’t know if this is a magical occurrence.” Regina said quickly.

There were no signs of the creatures on the front lawn. 

“Let’s go” he slowly opened the door only to be pulled back by Emma who told him to stay with his mom while she check if the coast was clear to come out. She stepped outside into the cool night, the only sounds were the soft rustling of the leaves from the tree that stood in the front yard and crickets. “Great a perfect setting for a horror movie” she though in her head. She looked around and heard rustling coming from the side of the house. She motioned to Henry to get Regina and make a beeline for the cruiser. 

In a heartbeat the front door opened and Henry was out with Regina being pulled behind him towards the cruiser. Emma was thankful she hadn’t locked it. Henry pushed Regina into the back seat and climbed in with her. They both ducked and waited for Emma. There was no sign of the blonde. Regina peeped up to see Emma fighting one of those things. “EMMA!” she shouted out. Henry shushed her “Mom! We need to stay quite, screaming will only attract attention” he hardly said that the front door opened and a panting Emma got in. 

“Are you hurt?” Regina asked leaning to the front seat checking Emma. Emma was surprised at her concern.

“No I am fine. Are you guys alright?” she asked looking at them out of breath as she fumbled to put the keys in.

“I think we can save all that for later Ma.” He pointed out to the creatures charging towards them . Emma didn’t need any further urging she started the car the engine revved to life as the car jumped out onto the street of Mifflin street. Their next stop Snow’s apartment building. 

The streets were empty and not a living or dead soul in sight. Emma slowed down the car as she rolled into the parking of Snow’s building. She first took Regina and Henry out of the car and rushed them into the building, making sure the front entrance was closed so none of what they just experienced could get in. Emma’s adrenaline was pumping on high and she could barely concentrate other than to get Regina and Henry to safety. They reached Snow’s apartment and she kept knocking on the door until Regina grabbed her hand to stop and gave it a gentle squeeze to assure her it’s okay. 

Finally the door opened, Snow looked at them wide eyed wondering what they were doing there. Emma pushed her way in along with Regina and Henry trailing behind her. They closed the door quickly with Emma pushing a chair under the door knob. 

“Emma, what’s going on?” Snow asked worried about her daughter’s behaviour. Emma looked around the house and realised David was at the station. Her heart started hammering in her chest. 

“I need to get to dad!” 

“What's going on?!” Snow asked frantically at them looking for answer. Regina knew Emma couldn’t explain in her condition so she decided to.

“Snow we are having a creature problem.”

“Excuse me did I just hear right. A creature problem?”

“Yes”

“And when did this happen?”

“Its been happening for a few weeks, its the case that we were following when Emma got attackd, but we didn’t know about the creatures until an hour ago” Regina said

“And why is Emma like that?” she pointed to Emma who was pacing the floor and biting her nail

“After fighting those things I do believe it takes time for adrenaline to come down” Regina casually said as Snow ran to check Emma for injuries. 

“We need to get dad or call him or do something” Regina walked to Emma and forcibly sat her in a chair, she dialled the station after 4 rings it was picked

“David we have a creature situation. We need you to get home” Regina said

“YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT LIKE 5 MINUTES AGO!!!” Regina could hear sounds of grunting and shouting. 

“David whats happing there?!” Snow looked at Regina terrified for David

“Well, Ruby and I are trapped in the station. We have barricaded the door, hopefully we can work a way of getting out of here before the barricade gives way” David was breathless obviously trying to keep the dead outside. 

“We will see what we can do from here” Regina hung up quickly. “I need to put a protection spell on this place so that those things can’t get in till we figure out what they are. I need to also get to my vault” Emma looked at her confidently, count on Regina to have things figured out.

“Emma I need you onboard okay! David and Ruby are trapped and I think I know how to get them out” she said with a renewed boost of confidence.

“David I don’t think that barricade is not going to hold for long!” Ruby shouted looking for something to help get out. The windows were too high even when standing on the filing cabinets. 

“I don’t see anyway out!” David was worried, worried he would never see Snow, Emma, Henry or for that matter Regina. There was a sudden sound of a door opening.

“Brace yourself” He ducked down behind the cabin door and Ruby stood there without moving. 

“Dad?” David peeped out from behind the door “Emma?” He couldn’t see her . 

“Down here” he looked down two see two heads peeping from a trap door in the floor near the filing cabinet.

“How the hell? I mean where did that come from? How come I have never seen it before?” 

“Stop asking questions and get in, and tell Ruby to get off the filing cabinet she looks like a red beacon calling for trouble” Regina said going back down. 

David and Ruby followed the two women through a series of passage ways.

“What is this place?” Ruby said looking around in awe as she watched Regina lead the group to a door down the passage way. She opened the door and they stepped into the Mayor’s office. Regina had teleported Snow and Henry to her office where it was safe.

“I didn’t know this reached here” 

“David!” Snow ran to him and hugged him. 

“Now after you’re done with your true love “I will always find you” hug can we get on to more pressing creature matters” Regina said taking her place at her desk. Everyone found a place to sit while Regina started

“Emma and I will need to go and get Whale from the hospital if he is still alive. I don’t know if these things are magic or they came through a portal from another dimension or one of his Frankenstein experiments gone horribly wrong, right now the only one who can provide us with answers is Whale.” Regina said. 

“So what are we to do?” Snow asked her

“I am first going to go to my vault and retrieve some books on creatures and you will look through it . I trust you can do it without mucking it up” she raised an eyebrow at Snow who would have loved to shoot her with an arrow right now.

“I'm coming with you to your vault” Emma said quickly, Regina was not to keen but she would be wasting precious time trying to convince her not to come. 

“So what are we looking for?” Emma asked as she stared at a large collection of leather bond books with odd symbols on them.

“Look for a black and gold book, marked with mythical creatures on the outside” Regina said as she busied herself looking for the book

“Why don’t you just use your magic to find the book?” Emma asked as she turned to watch Regina search. Even searching for something made her look alluring.

“Because I have to save my magic for when we really need it. I know you have magic but your magic is still not stable enough for use to actually use it” Regina smiled to herself 

“Got it. Now lets head back”, in a swift motion she teleported Emma and herself back to the office. When they landed in Emma as usual lost her balance. She handed Snow the book and told them not to worry as the mayor’s office was protected so nothing could get in. She told Snow to find if there was anything regarding the creatures in the book. Ruby and Henry decided to go to the library and Gold’s shop so they could get something. David decided he would go to Granny’s to gather food.

“Ready?” The blonde smiled 

“Ready as you are” Regina and Emma made their way down to the dark passage way that was lined with dampness and moss. Regina heard some sounds up ahead. She stopped Emma who was looking elsewhere bumped into her. 

“Why did you stop?” she whispered, Regina raised her finger to her lips to silence her, Emma looked at her like she was nuts. Regina pulled her hand back and frowned at her shaking her head. 

“I heard some sounds” Regina said softly. Emma came beside her straining to hear the sounds that Regina heard. 

“I don’t hear anything” 

“It stopped. Okay there’s the door. I am going to open it” Regina walked slowly towards the door, she put her ear against the cold metal and waited. Emma came next to her and facing her put her ear against the door.

“Do you hear anything?” she asked looking into Regina’s eyes.

“No, maybe some soft scratching” Regina said looking at Emma’s lips, Emma looked at her lips. She looked at the red, soft moist lips. Emma moved closer, so close that she was almost kissing those lips. Regina pulled away from her

“What the hell are you doing?” she asked shocked

“I was listening for the sounds” Emma said innocently

“You were trying to kiss me!” Regina said in disbelief as she pushed Emma aside.

“Well don’t flatter yourself, I would rather kiss one of those things than you” Emma said quickly hoping it would get Regina off her back. Regina took a deep breath and wondered whether she should burn her right now or later. 

“Now if we get through this we need to talk about your behaviour Miss.Swan” Regina looked at her like she had changed her mind “or Maybe I should just burn you now and get it over and done with”.

Regina put her hand on the handle to open the door, Emma stopped her. 

“I will go first, then you come behind” 

“No we do this together” Regina said as they both opened the door, and looked in. The place was dark with lights flickering. There was no one in the hospital hallway. Emma held Regina’s hand as they walked through, there was blood smeared on the walls. There were no sign of anyone around. 

“We need to located Whale” Regina said looking at the empty reception desk. They walked further down the hallway to a double door. They peered through the window to see two creatures crouched down feeding on a person who was clearly dead by the look of things. 

“There are two there, I don’t want any jack in the box event happening when we go through these doors” Regina said softy

“Jack in the box?” Emma was trying to figure out where that fitted in this scene

“Those things popping out from the doors!” Emma had an Oh expression on her face when she realized the reference. Regina sometimes wondered if Emma thought at all or was she just brute force. 

“We need to set a bait. Like throw something to make a sound and then we will know if there are one or two more” Regina nodded. 

They looked around and found a surgical tin. They opened the door just enough to throw it towards the hallway. As the tin clanged against the floor and when to a bouncing sliding stop, they peer again they saw the two creature move at lightening speed to it. They smiled happy it was just two when they saw shadows on the wall, that turned from two to a horde of black. 

“Shit!” Emma said as they ducked down. “I think we need to get to another floor or something” 

“You think?!” Regina grabbed her hand and ran towards the exit where she punched in numbers and opened the door. 

“Are you sure the basement is a good idea?” 

“I have another way to Whale’s office. Sometimes I have a feeling he is to be blamed for this. He must have conducted one of his stupid experiments and it must have blown up in his face” Regina said going down the stairs but stopped when she heard moans and clanging no banging like those things were trapped there. Regina took a few more steps stopping short of the door that was now only closed by the saving grace of the backup generator that kept the security lock in place. 

“I doubt Whale is down there” Emma said “ Or if he was he is definitely one of them” If Emma knew anything from the numerous amount of creature flicks she had seen that the only way to survive a horde was to hide and not breath. But knowing Whale he wasn’t much of anything other than being a screamer so he was definitely one of them.

“Emma, We need to find a way out. I hope the other’s are having better luck than us” Her thoughts Emma knew were with Henry. 

The duo took advantage of the precarious calm to explore this building they thought they knew. The heavy, clammy air did not make it easier for them in this welcoming space. If it was any other day they would have just walked in throwing caution to the air. Today was different. It was feel with the smell of death. All the safe places Regina had created to keep certain people in had now become a place of danger. They made their way back up the stairs to the floor they had left a little while earlier. As they approached the door, they stopped. Something was following them. Regina could feel it, turning her head to Emma to see if she felt it, Emma nodded in confirmation that it wasn't just the situation they were in.

The two peeped through the glass and ducked immediately. They observed quietly as one of the zombie's stopped right at the door. They heard it throaty growls and flesh stripped bony fingers claw against the glass. The creature knew someone was there but couldn't quite see them as both its eyes were taken clean off its sockets. The rancid smell was getting stronger as Emma looked down to see yellow bile seep from the under the door. Regina shut her eyes knowing that any sudden move at that moment could land them both in hot water. They heard as scream emit from one of the floors above them as the lights began to flicker. If whatever it was making that sound came down they would have to think quick, because using magic in large amounts would not only put Regina in danger but also render them helpless to get out of the situation. 

After a gruelling few minutes, Regina decided to open the door just enough to cause a distraction. She told Emma to stay at the stairs to make a dash for it if it failed. Emma was not going to leave Regina and the brunette knew convincing the blonde right now was next to impossible. Regina grabbed the nearest bedpan she could find and boosted it to the corner of the room away from the door that they were going to use to get out. As soon as metal hit the now blood covered tiles of the always pristine hospital the dead stopped. They started to move in unison as they stumbled and staggered, like a horde of rancid, maggot infested flesh eating monsters towards what they thought would be their next meal. 

Emma followed Regina as she slipped in unnoticed. They ducked behind a curtain that was used to separate the nurses' station from the storage and supply rooms behind. Regina was glad she insisted on creating this barrier when the hospital was up and running. As she was about to talk, she saw one of covers move. She quickly grabbed Emma's jacket and pulled her down to the floor. They began to crawl on their stomach towards the door that read restricted access. The disorder in their breath, demonstrated how fear had invaded them, putting their lives in danger.

“Don’t you think that will be locked?” Emma asked looking at Regina. Regina regaining a certain aplomb looked at Emma and shook her head. 

“That’s why I have magic to unlock the door. We have a split second to do this. So the second I open it we get in”

“And what if there are dead inside?” said Emma not too reassured

“I am banking on them not being there” Regina and Emma crawled a little bit more until Emma felt something following close behind. 

She swallowed hard and turned her head slightly to see one of the dead, a lady with black hair and sunken eyes, was just looking at her, hissing. Emma knew that if she didn’t kill her she would alert the other to attack them. Regina had reached the door, she looked behind to see Emma frozen not moving, she saw the creature hovering over her. Regina raised her finger at the creature and flicked her wrist . The creature fell to the ground not moving. Emma looked at it as she saw brains oozing out of its ears and nose. She slowly turned her head towards Regina.

“Remind me never to make you mad” Emma said dusting her clothes. They stepped inside. Many useful objects flooded the room, wanting to hide what they had come to risk their lives for. But at the turn of a glance, they were pleasantly surprised to see their deliverance offered to them.

“Jackpot!” The voice was full of zest and joy. The room was full of medications that they would require. 

“Take everything we need and then we can sort it out at the office” Regina said finding a roll of disposable bags and filling them. After filling nearly 5 bags they placed it in the centre of the room and Regina teleported it back to her office.

“Now let’s teleport” Emma said holding on to her. 

“We can’t” 

“What? Why not?”

“I need to reserve my magic till we find Whale” Regina said walking towards the door. She peeped outside to see some of the creatures had wandered off somewhere. 

“What! You used magic for the bags and we have to go on reserve. If you should know creature bites and scratches are what makes us one of them, so I don’t think them doing anything to medicines would have the same effect. Can we not call him and see where he is?” Emma said just wanting to get away from there because a strange sensation was beginning to invade her. Maybe the fear of being inferior without being able to fully harness her magic.

“Yes, I am surprised you knew that Miss.Swan, and I know I can rely on your brute strength if push comes to shove, and with regards to Whale, if his phone is not on vibrate, why not alert all the creatures where he is hiding” Regina said sarcastically.

“Well, then let me use my magic and –“ Dryly, Regina cut short any initiative from Emma that could prove disastrous.

“Yes and while you're at it why not use it to create a white magic bon fire!” Regina grabbed Emma’s hand before she could create another disaster. Emma snorted at the woman’s sass. She followed Regina when the all clear was given to go through the halls.

“Let’s first go to his office he must be hiding there.” Without waiting for a reply Regina slipped into the hallway followed closely by Emma. 

Both women made several stops to either hide or duck out of the way of the undead. Regina knew that if they didn’t find Whale at least his files or findings would help them in some way of knowing how to stop it. Right now with absolutely no communication and no information they were left helpless. Regina raised her hand to Emma to stop, the door in front of them looked beaten in, the drag of handprints in blood spoke of something horrible that may have taken place earlier. Whale’s name on the door was smeared in blood. Emma looked at Regina signalling that she would go in first. She placed her hand on the door handle, courage seemed to flee from her body, enveloping her in a most unpleasant feeling. As much as she wanted to show Regina that she could take initiative, she understood that she was putting herself in danger. The blood on the handle was still fresh and some of it got onto her hand which made both women cringe. Cautiously opening the door so as to not create any noise they stepped into a dark room. Regina fumbled around for a light switch. Emma felt her way in the dark and moved ahead of Regina. Finally she found the switch and flicked it on. 

She turned with relief, but that was short lived when she saw Emma, just staring at something. Regina didn’t know what had made Emma freeze that way. Emma was blocking her view of the room. She came up beside her, her eyes when wide 

“Oh My Gods! What the hell is that on the floor?” Regina said her face clearly aghast from the sight in front of her. Regina placed an encouraging hand on Emma's back.

Emma felt Regina push her from behind 

“I can’t move. God! The smell of blood is filling my nostrils and killing my sense of movement, it's getting my adrenaline rushing.” Emma said through her choked breath. Emma’s eyes widened as she saw something familiar in the pool of blood “ Is that Whale’s name badge ? ” 

Regina watched as Emma “ What the hell is Emma doing? Why is she bending down towards the blood?” she was clearly disgusted by what was unfolding in front of her. Suddenly a movement in the corner caught her eye. She grabbed Emma’s arm 

“Ms.Swan! Keep your eye on the pile and I suggest you get off the floor and back away quietly towards me so as to not awaken whatever is moving under that pile” She pointed out to her. She nodded at Regina, who felt relieved that she was not going to argue as she does usually knowing very well which side of the family that came from. She kept my eye on Emma and also watched the pile. The smell of blood and gut was nauseating. “I guess we could forget about finding Whale here.” Just as she was about to give up “ Watch out!”


	9. Chapter 9

Emma didn't know at the moment whether it was Regina's voice that scared her or the fact that something was moving under the pile that lay in front of her. Emma spun on her heels to reach out to Regina for some form of support all she received was the fear in the Mayor's eyes. Just as she was just about to reach Regina, she felt something lunge at her boot. She turned to see an outstretched arm holding on to her boot coming from under the pile. Emma was just about to kick it off when the rest of the body appeared. It was Whale!. He was covered in blood and gut. “Emma!” he spoke! . Somehow Whale had managed to keep himself safe. 

“Whale! Damitt! How did you survive?” Emma asked as she pulled him from under the pile of dead bodies.

“I managed to get in here and these were already dead because we used the cadavers in the autopsy classes here. They had no brains to come to life” he was grinning and Regina was wondering how he could grin at a time like this. Wait, he is Victor Frankenstein, being happy around the dead came naturally to him. 

“That makes sense.” She turned to Regina who wanted to question him more but the smell of the blood and formalin was killing them. She took a quick decision to teleport them out and into the office. 

“ I am amazed to see Dr. Whale in one piece I though he must have fought his way through the dead but after his explanation I should have known for him it’s always Brains over brawn.” Regina said to Emma, looking at Whale who looked like he had just stepped out of a meat grinder. 

Regina thought since they accomplished what they had set out to do it was time to go back. She snapped her fingers but nothing happened. She looked up and saw Emma looking at her, waiting, a big question mark on her face. Regina frowned and tried again it didn’t work. 

“Regina what’s wrong?” Emma asked a confused and worried look on her face

“I think my magic is not working” She said flatly 

“Not working?? How ??? why???” Emma was starting to bother her with her tones. She just shook her head in anger, she was as baffled as the next person. Why was her magic becoming so erratic.

“We are going to have to head back the same way we came in” She heard her groan and Whale just watched in horror. Regina was waiting for Emma to say something to protest but she didn’t she just went along with her plan.

Ruby and Henry had checked the library and Gold’s they could find anyone there. They decided to meet Snow and David at Granny’s and help with collecting enough provisions. 

“Ruby, we have the creature just outside, how are we going to make it all the way to grannys?” Henry asked as he looked outside to see the number of creatures had increased . 

One of the creature stopped, turning its already ugly blood smeared face and blood soaked grin to look at the window were Henry was looking out from. He didn’t move a muscle the last thing he needed was mass of them banging at the doors and windows. Henry heard its growl that emitted from it jugular. It moved on down towards a car that was parked at the bend of the road. 

Henry looked at his watch an hour and half had already gone by, they needed to make it to the diner. 

“We can get out the back and climb over the dumpster to the roof and jump onto the diner. There is a door for us to enter from” Ruby told Henry who agreed. 

They went to the back of Gold’s shop before heading out Henry made sure he took some weapons that could possibly protect them from what was to come. Ruby opened the door slowly, the creatures had not gotten past the gate that closed off the back of Gold’s shop to the main road. Ruby helped Henry onto the dumpster as they climbed on to the roof of the shop. She looked around to see that the creatures had sensed them and started to gather around the shop raising their bony flesh ripping claws at them as if waiting for food to be thrown to them, hissing and grinning with their razor sharp teeth waiting....waiting for a body to fall to them. 

Snow walked into the basement at Granny’s, she was looking at provisions that granny had in her basement. She gathered all the canned items knowing very well Regina wouldn’t approve of it as it was not fresh, but right now Snow couldn’t care less, they were in the middle of a bloody apocalypse with flesh eating dead wandering around town looking for their next meal, she was going to take anything that would give them a chance to survive. She heard a sound from behind her. She raised her bow to it “ Come out” the next thing she was staring down a crossbow. 

“Granny! Thank God your alive”. The older woman looked over Snow before hugging her. 

“I thought you were one of those things outside. Are you alone?” Snow briefed Granny on all the happenings, Snow could clearly see she was happy Ruby was alive. 

“We need to meet the other’s at the Mayor’s office in another 15 minutes.” 

“Then lets gather all we can” Both women were busy when they heard footsteps coming towards them

“We got a problem!” David said. 

Ruby and Henry, watched as the dead came out from all corners of the town. 

“Do you think you can take the jump Henry?” Henry looked to see the nearest thing was a large fire escape. 

“I can jump there and meet you on the roof” he pointed to Ruby who agreed. She decided to go first and then when Henry jumped she would be there to grab him. They looked down at the horde that looked up at them.

Ruby took a few steps back and closed her eyes when she opened them, Henry could see her eyes had turned yellow. He knew Ruby had called out her wolf to help her with the jump. She then ran towards the edge using the ledge as leverage to loft her into the air and landing on top of Granny’s. She looked at Henry who was getting ready to run, she nodded and watch the teen loft himself into the air, flying over the horde that followed his every move waiting for him to drop in to their outstretched arms. At the last moment, Henry knew he was going to fall shot, as Ruby watched him slam in to the fire escape as he desperately tried to grab on to something. 

"Henry!" Ruby looked down, but she couldn't see Henry anywhere. 

She darted down the fire escape to look for him. She looked at the horde still looking up. She frowned and looked up to see Henry grinning as he held on to a broken, rusty ladder. Ruby sighed in relief know if Henry fell Regina would have her skinned. Henry grabbed on to the metal railing of the fire escape as Ruby pulled him to safety. 

“That was fun!” He laughed “Let’s get in” 

“What’s the problem David?” Snow asked anxiously 

“The dead have surrounded the diner and they are looking for a way in. I have managed to block all the doors and windows but i don’t know how long that will hold. We need to find a way out and get into back to Regina’s office” 

“I have a way to get out but your not going to like it” Granny said 

“Fine lets take what we can maybe we can come back for the rest” they gathered most of the bags of food that they could carry when they heard footsteps above them. The all stopped and hid. Granny raised her crossbow pointing it towards the staircase waiting for a grey skinned creature to come down the stairs, instead she saw the familiar red cloak.

“Ruby!” Granny came out to hug her granddaughter. 

“Granny! Thank the moon you’re alive” Snow and David ran and hugged Henry glad they were both safe and well.

“How did you get past the dead?” David asked

“We took the high road” Henry grinned

“High road?” 

“Yes we jumped across and landed on the fire escape” Ruby confirmed. She looked at the bags of provisions.

“We are taking that right?” they all grabbed bags and made their way upstairs. The diner looked darker than usual with the dead blocking the windows and the light barely getting past them. 

“So how do we get out?” David asked. 

“Through the freezer” 

The others had already reached the office and the waited for Regina, Emma and hopefully Whale to arrive. 

“Do you think something happened to them?” Snow asked looking at the others who had the same question mark look .

“No, mom has magic, see the medicines are here” Henry pointed out to the bags in the room. “She will use it to teleport them here” he said confidently.

“I hope your right Henry” David said worried for Emma. 

All of a sudden the door opened and the first thing David saw was a blood covered Emma, followed by Whale and then Regina.

“Oh Gods, Emma!” David rushed to her followed by the others

“I’m fine, this isn’t my blood, though I would very much like to take a shower right now” Regina pointed to the shower room in her office and offered her a change of clothes.

“So why didn’t you use your magic mom?” Henry asked curiously

“It didn’t work for some reason.” Regina said thoughtfully, she was going to have to take a look into it once she sorted herself out. She looked at Whale

“Now Dr.Whale why don’t you tell us how this all started and I hope for your sake there is not magic involved” Regina sat down at her desk and watched as Whale tried to wipe the blood off his face. She picked up the glass of water irate with his delay in explaining and threw the contents on his face. 

“Now talk!” she said. Emma stepped out of her shower hair all wet. She walked to the empty seat next to Regina to hear what the commotion was about. 

Regina turned to see Emma, something about her took her breath away. She quickly dismissed it and concentrate on the imbecile in front of her.

“Okay, it started as I explained earlier today the patients with fevers. But after that I took some blood samples to check what was making them sick”

“And?” Regina press for answers she hated someone stopping midway through and explanation.

“Their blood was clotting and showing signs of premature decay” 

“Isn’t that obvious they were dead” Emma blurted

“No, because when I took the sample they were alive” 

“So your saying this is not magic it something biological?” Regina leaned back wondering if she had ever encounter something like this in the Enchanted Forest.

“So what do we do now? We seem to have an epidemic of them outside”David said not sure how they were going to sort this one out.

“There has to be away for us to make them disappear, can we not open a portal and send them to another realm?” Snow asked looking at Regina who hadn’t said a word so far. She looked up.

“We need to take them to the borders” she said as she stood up. 

“What?! An let them out into the world to infect other people?” Emma was angry that Regina would even think of this way to get rid of them from Storybrook. How could she be so insensitive.

“No Miss.Swan, don’t you realize that the border is magic and anything that passes through it will either disintegrate or lose its magic” she said triumphantly 

“Sadly that will not work as the patients who started it all were not from Storybrook. Come to think of it, I never asked where they were from” Whale thought of the day they came in three weeks ago. He didn’t even know who brought them there to the hospital. 

“So do we just go out there and start burning them?” Emma asked looking at Regina knowing she was the fireball queen. 

“No, we don’t. We have some of the towns people there the last thing we want is to burn them to a pile of ashes. We will have to find away to get them away from the rest.” Regina was not sure how they were going to pull this off but she was open to suggestions. 

She looked at the people in the room who just looked at her waiting for her to say something.

“What! No suggestions from anyone?” 

“I have a feeling this is voodoo” Ruby said all of a sudden. Granny smacked her in the arm and told her to keep quite.

“No Granny, I think Ruby could be on to something but we need to know the source as to where it came from” Emma said glad to have some lead on it. Regina looked at the two like they two idiots in a pod together. 

“During my travels I do recall coming across a tale that spoke of Ghouls. They were most feared by the inhabitants. When someone died, no one ventured out they tried to do the final rites to the body and hoped the creature would leave them alone. Most of all the creature feasted on young children, while having the ability to shape shift.” Whale said as he recalled his friend Kalifa. 

“You mean to say that a Ghoul is causing all this?” Regina asked looking at the doctor like he was crazy. 

“All I am saying is the thing could have been what stole the bodies from the morgue” Whale said hoping that would satisfy Regina but he knew better

“Okay, the ghoul eats them, but why are they alive then? What bringing them to life?. Miss. Swan we need to know who all came into to Storybrook in the past couple of weeks and how did they get in, also if there is a breach in the boundaries we need to find it” Regina got to her feet. She looked at everyone 

“ Spread out and fast, stay safe and look for any survivors, and everyone if you see the ghoul alert me and stay away from it” She looked at Emma who was putting on her boots to get ready. 

When everyone had left Regina looked at Emma who was combing her wet hair with her fingers. The blonde looked calm and approachable when her mouth was shut. 

“See something you like?” Emma asked smirking and just like that the mouth opened and idiot came out. Regina head snapped up and looked at her

“Contrary to what you are thinking Ms.Swan, I suggest you get your head out of the gutter and start concentrating on the situation at hand and hoping our plan works to get rid of the unwanted epidemic” Regina stood up abruptly and pushed pass Emma who was still smirking knowing she was getting under the Mayor’s skin and she was enjoying it.

They stopped before the main door of the mayor’s office looking outside. The dead were all over the place, walking around and looking around for some warm body to chomp on with their infected rotting teeth. 

“Why don’t we just teleport to the border?” Emma said absentmindedly. Without bothering to turn to her blonde counterpart Regina let out a aggravated sigh, can Emma get anymore foolish

“Ms.Swan, if it hasn’t registered as yet let me bring you up to speed, the objective is to get them to follow us to the border not us go there unseen. Teleporting is out of the question right now as I am low on Magic and have to recover before we proceed if I'm going to burn something or Someone!” she said looking at Emma who looked like Bambi. 

Suddenly Emma grabbed Regina’s arms and her face contorted as if she was in pain. 

“Ms.Swan? are you alright?” Regina looked worried that maybe Emma did get hurt when they visited the hospital. She could feel Emma’s fingers digging in her arms.

“MISS SWAN! What do you think you are doing?” Regina demanded as she shook the blonde’s grip off her. Letting out a breath that she was holding in making her go red in the face all this while

“Do you feel different?” Emma looked questioningly at Regina

“Different? How?” Regina was confused at what Emma was trying to get at.

“I sent you magic, I think” Emma said thinking if anything went to help Regina recover.

“Miss.Swan, you do know that magic healing is not done with grabbing someone when they are not ready to received it and especially not contorting your face as if you were constipated” Regina said shaking her head. 

“ In order for me to recover I need to accept your magic because it is light magic and mine is dark I have to prepare my body for it” Emma stood there listening. “If you had forced it on me the repercussions of your actions would be devastating” Regina looked out the coast was clear and they needed to move when Emma grabbed her arm again. 

“Now what is it Miss. Swan?” Regina asked irritated that the woman was not letting her go after she explained to her what could happen.

“Then accept me” Emma said not making any effort to take her hand away

“Excuse me?” Regina said

“Accept my magic and let me heal you. Since my magic is not stable enough to use the least I can do is use it to heal you” Regina looked at Emma’s hand glowing waiting to be accepted. Regina knew she needed all the help to recover fast. She sighed and resigned herself to the fact that Emma was not going to give up and was not going to let her go out with no magic.

“Fine!” Regina opened her hand and told Emma to place one hand on her palm and the other on her chest. As she did that Emma looked at Regina.

“Are you ready?” Emma asked as she paced herself 

“Yes, I am but-“ before Regina could finish her sentence Emma blast of magic that sent Regina flying into the staircase knocking the air out her. She lay there for a moment trying to get her bearings. 

“Oh God Regina, I am so sorry!” Emma came rushing beside her to help her up. Regina sat up in a daze looking at Emma who was practically in tears. She felt bad for her, she only wanted to help and maybe after all this was over she could help her with controlling her magic.

“It's alright Ms.Swan, next time please wait for me to complete what I have to say before you attack me with your magic” Regina took the blonde’s hand and stood up. This time Emma paid attention to every detail that Regina told her about Healing Magic before she tried again. Regina made sure she was against a wall and hoping the wall for strong enough not to send her flying through it. “ Now Emma feel the emotion that is the strongest and think about that emotion with the person you are feeling it for”  
As Emma closed her eyes she let small pulses of light magic flow through her. Regina watched as Emma started to glow gold and she felt Emma’s emotions and warmth flow through her. She had never felt magic so pure before. It was so vibrant, pulsing with life and it went into her. Regina started to feel heaviness from her heart starting to lift a little. She would have to take it in small amounts as her heart was dark and large amounts of it would be painful. Emma stopped when Regina asked her to and then she looked at Regina

“Are you feeling alright?” she asked concerned about the older woman’s well being. Regina smiled at her, this time it was a genuine smile not her usual plastered on quick Mayor smile. 

“Thank you Miss.Swan” she said as she made her way to the front door. “Are you ready?” 

“Ready as I’ll ever be” Emma said feeling her adrenalin start to pump in her body.

They took the bug and made sure there was enough sound, the dead looked at them and they could see that Snow and the rest had done their work of taking the towns people out now they had to take them to the border and hope they would disappear or go back to where they came from as that was where all the commotion started

“Worst case scenario we can just burn them” Emma’s voice made the Mayor turn around and look at her. How did she know what she was just thinking? She was confused, did the magic transfer give the blonde connection to Regina’s thoughts? 

“Mmm yes” Regina said frowning. As they drove down to the border Regina felt waves of magic coming from the surroundings. 

“Miss.Swan stop!” Emma stepped on the breaks looking at the brunette

“What's wrong? Are you alright?” Emma was getting ready to go into protection mode when Regina held her arm

“Do you feel it?” Emma looked at Regina’s hand and smiled 

“Yes I feel you” Regina shook her head and took her hand off Emma’s arm “No Sheriff, I mean the magic emitting from our surroundings”.

Waiting for a moment Emma felt what Regina was feeling. There was indeed large amounts of magic coming from the surrounding forest area. They stepped out and followed it to the well. Their eyes widened when they saw the well was leaking magic and had opened a portal. 

“That's it!” Regina said excited, all they needed to do was send those things back into it. But how?

“I got this” Emma said “Trust me” 

“Miss.Swan this is hardly the moment for you to practice your magic” Regina was wondering what Emma was thinking at a moment like this.

“Well, in order to get them here one must be a bait and since you can’t be running around in those” she said pointing to Regina’s stilettos “ I am the one that should do it” 

“Okay, but we have to get them in how are we going to do that ?” 

“I will go through it and-“

“You will do no such thing, You don’t even know what’s on the other side!” Regina was practically yelling at woman.

“That's a risk I'm willing to take” Emma said determined to clear this up. Regina sighed in defeat she decided to tie the blonde to her through an invisible magic bond so she could get her out before the portal could close. Emma agreed before she took off running in the direction of the horde. 

Regina stayed out of sight waiting for Emma’s return. She was starting to get worried and decided to go and check when she saw the blonde coming running towards the portal with a horde of the undead chasing at her heels. She readied herself to bond with Emma the second she took the leap. Emma looked at her to signal that she was going to jump. Regina saw her push up with her feet, raising her hand Regina sent a blast of purple magic and it wrapped around Emma’s waist as she went through the portal, Regina felt a tug and she knew Emma had landed on safe ground. She felt Emma’s heart beat rapidly as the horde followed in. She waited till the last one was in as she saw the portal start to close, her eyes widened when she started to pull the bond and something was preventing Emma from coming back. 

“Damn it Miss.Swan!!” Regina growled as she pulled harder using all her magic to pull Emma out. 

The second Emma leap out of the portal it closed sending her crashing on top of the mayor. Regina’s didn’t know how long she was laying there under Emma but the blonde didn’t move and Regina didn’t want to move her till she knew she was alright. She had never seen anyone shift through portals and recover quickly due to the difference in time and atmosphere, and for magic wielders it was dangerous because of the imbalance in magic. Regina felt a groan as she saw two green eyes staring back at her. 

"Did we get rid of them?" Emma asked in a groggy voice, squinting her eyes it came into focus. 

She was on top of the Mayor! “Regina!?” Emma said dazed and confused, she quickly staggered to her feet apologising. Regina stood up dusting herself of the forest mud. Emma was still unsteady on her feet. Just as they were making it back to the boarder their eyes widened as the fog lifted. 

"Oh shit!" Emma cussed under her breath. Both women stood staring at the other side of the line. 

"How are we going to sort this mess?" Regina said still staring at what was before them. 

The other side was covered with the dead, not just one or two but a horde. It seemed that they weren't the only ones with the issue of the dead. They managed to clear StoryBrook, making it a safe zone. The magic kept the undead on the other side. But Regina was now starting to wonder what fate had befallen the world on the other side of the line. 

"Regina, we need to get back to the others, like NOW!" Emma was clearly not ready for what she saw and it off kiltered her. The world she knew and grew up in was now covered with the undead and the world she had now come to call her home was the only safe place. 

"Oh My God!" Regina grabbed Emma suddenly realizing something. "Robin and his family are out there!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, I promise the next one will be longer


	10. Chapter 10

Emma could see Regina start to crumble before her. She felt partly responsible for Robin being out there because she brought back Marian. That had sent Regina into a downward spiral when she started isolating herself from everyone including Henry. The other side showed them that this was not just a StoryBrook issue but a whole lot worse. They needed to see if they could contact anyone on the outside to see what was happening or whether it was only near their border.

The other’s waited for Regina and Emma outside Granny’s. Regina explained to everyone what had happened and thanks to Emma how everything was now safe in Storybrook. Snow looked at Emma with pride that her child was truly living up to her task as saviour. Emma smiled as her mother hugged her. Regina watched Emma, something seemed off with the Sherriff and it wasn’t from the look on Emma’s face but it was what Regina was feeling ever since she shared magic with Emma. 

"But we have another problem though" Regina said looking at the group. Emma went up to stand beside her.

"Over the line the whole place was covered with the dead. We don't know what the condition of the world is beyond the line, but we know that over here it's a safe zone" Emma looked at everyone who just stood there wide eyed.

"But some of the towns people have been turned into the undead. How are we going to sort that out?" Granny said looking at Regina and them Emma. 

"I am going to have to go to the vault. There has to be something I can make to help them once I know which Realm they came from." Regina was sure there was some portion her mother had made sometime in her life that would help them right about now. 

"I'm coming with you" Emma said immediately. But Regina was not about to have the saviour wandering around in her vault with her current unsteady condition. 

"Miss.Swan, Why don't you rest, this will take sometime and I need -" 

"Regina, I am not leaving you alone" Emma knew what happened at the line when Regina realized Robin was out there. " Besides more hands make light work" she grinned. Regina knew it was useless arguing with the blonde as she was persistent. She just gestured with her hand to her car. 

"Wait! What do we do till then?" Snow asked

"Plan Snow or better yet sing a song that we all make it through this alive" Regina was in no mood to deal with the Charming clan. She needed to find the portion for the towns people. And she needed to get across the line.

"Mom, how are we going to get across the line?" Henry asked as he caught up with his mothers.

"We won't be taking anyone with us Henry, I will go -" 

"That's not fair, what if something happens to you. You know that you magic is limited out there." Henry was not about to let his mother's go alone. He was going with her whether she liked it or not. 

"Henry can we discuss this at home. I need to get to my vault and find something to treat the towns people" Regina was already on edge knowing that Robin was out there. She needed to sort things here and quick. Emma watched Regina and knew exactly where her mind was and why there was an urgency to sort this out. Part of her felt a pang of jealously towards Robin because even though he left Regina she choose to care for him. She sent Henry with Snow promising him that they would discuss over dinner as to what the plan was. She told the rest of the group that she would meet them at the diner later that night to formulate a plan. Till then she expected them to come up with ideas and resources. 

"Henry, she is not going alone. I will be going with her" Emma assured him, but clearly that didn't satisfy him it only made it worse that both his mom's would now be in danger.

“Miss.Swan, I asked you to come here for a reason. I noticed that you seem imbalanced since our magic mingled” Regina knew when their magic mingled so many time, and especially when she was healing Emma, something felt different. Her magic and Emma's were fuelled with emotions to heal and protect each other. Regina looked at the dazed blonde, who stared at her blankly, not waiting for her to answer she continued. 

“It would take a few hours before you are back to normal"

“It was horrible” Emma said looking at the Mayor with red rimmed eyes

“I know, some realms are-” Regina said knowing what horrors other realms held for someone who had never traversed through them before.

“No!” Emma looked distraught, her eyes red rimmed and staring straight into her eyes like she was looking into her soul. The brunette shifted uncomfortably on her feet. What was Emma referring to as horrible.

“I'm sorry you go through so much pain Regina” Emma said her eyes now looking at the Mayor with pity, something that Regina hated the most was people pitying her. She knew she had a hard life and she fought her way to where she was not and she didn’t need anyone showing her pity. Regina quickly averted Emma's eyes and walked to the far corner of the vault where she had spent so many hours browsing through books during the 28 years of the first curse.

"Well, I think we should get on with what we are looking for" Regina quickly changed the subject she didn't want nor need Emma to start a conversation about her past. She knew this was going to happen but at that moment she had no choice but to let their magic mingle. Now she was sure Emma could feel her emotions. When she turned she was facing Emma who just looked at her, like she was waiting. But Regina quickly dismissed her. Emma chewed the inside of her mouth trying to make a decision, if she should force Regina to talk or just let it go for now. She decided to let it go. 

"So what are we looking for?" Emma said seating herself down with a pile of books Regina handed to her. 

"A spell for the dead" 

"Okay, let me start with this odd looking book" Emma lifted a book displaying the dark blue cover that looked like the nightsky. It almost looked like the little dots on it were shining like stars. Emma examined it more closely. She was right the images were   
coming to life. 

"I wouldn't stare at that if I were you" Regina quickly walked to the blonde. 

"Why?" Emma frowned looking at Regina like she was crazy

"That book has magic within itself, it controls the reader through hypnosis. Seeing as you are most susceptible to get hypnotised I suggest you hand me that book and take this one" she handed Emma a red book that she had picked from her pile. 

"Why do you even have such books?" Emma grumbled as she flipped open her new book

"Because I'm a witch and Magic is in my blood" Regina quipped

She continued to look through the books, everything was just giving them unwanted things. She had to get out of Storybrook quickly, inorder to save Robin. She couldn't let him become one of those things she saw. She had no intention of taking Emma or Henry with her. 

"I think I found something" Emma said triumphantly as she showed Regina the book. Regina looked up to see Emma holding a book with a red leather bind and she knew instantly it was her mother's grimoire. She made her way to Emma and gently took the book away. How did she open the book? It only opened to their bloodline. 

"Emma how did you manage to open the book?" She questioned not giving any more details.

"I don't know, I just held it and opened it like any regular book" she said nonchalantly. Regina frowned once again it struck her that their magic may have mingled a little too much. 

Regina looked through the book, her mother was into some really dark magic. The spells and incantation from this book clearly held a certain level of blood sacrifices. Back then blood sacrifices where a dime a dozen and taking a sacrifice came nature to wielders of dark magic. She looked at the spell of the dead. She noted that this one had certain part of it written in Egyptian hieroglyphs. She hissed in frustration. She would require Belle's help with deciphering this. She read the part that was in elvish but now she just had half a spell. At the bottom of the yellowing page, she saw a note: This spell had to be a combination of light and dark magic in order to reverse the effects of the older spell. She looked at Emma who looked at her curiously.

"What does it say?" Emma asked peering into the book not that any of it made sense to her.

"For one you found the spell, but I can only decipher half of it. The rest of it I would require Belle's help. Also I would require you to assist me in performing this spell as it's a reverse spell and require both out magic combined" the thought of their magic mingling again made Regina uneasy.

"Okay let's get going then. The sooner we get this done, the faster we can reach Robin" Emma made her way to the stairs leading up to the vaults exit followed closely by a reluctant Regina.

The other's were all at the diner waiting for them to show up. When the little bell over the diner door tinkled and in came the duo, all eyes were on them. Emma felt a sudden pang of nervousness which confused her as she was not in the least bit nervous. Then she looked at Regina and realised she was feeling her emotion. Regina strode forward with the booked tucked securely under her arm as she made her way to Belle who sat at the counter. Emma decided to let Regina handle it as she went and sat down with the other's bringing them up to speed with everything they had learnt so far. 

"So you both have to combine your magic?" Snow leaned forward her worried eyes searching her daughters.

"Yes, there is nothing to worry about. Regina knows how to deal with this" Emma assured her 

"Not from what we saw last time when she was healing you Emma. Something in your magic was trying to enter her and it succeeded." David recalled Regina coughing blood as she tried to break free from Emma's magic grip. 

"I trust her, and I know she will keep us both safe. I need you all to be ready to get the towns folk near the clock tower and stand back. We will need to keep them confined in the cage so they cannot get to Regina or me when we are performing the spell" Emma looked at her parents who nodded. Henry who was listening all this while looked at them knowing all too well that both his mother's would never agree to him being anywhere near the place. He felt useless sometimes. He wanted to be of help to them in any way he could. He felt a kiss on the top of his head. When he looked he saw his mom smiling at him. That smile he had seen for so many years, that comforted him and kept him safe. He moved into his booth making place for her to sit as he snuggled closer to her. She wrapped an arm around him. Her precious prince. 

"Hello my prince" 

"Hi Mom" he said as he snuggled closer. Emma watched the two of them and felt so warm inside and grateful most of all that her son had Regina as his mom, and that he didn't have to grow up like her. He had all the love and care that could be showered on a   
child and he was well looked after. 

"Okay, I have given Belle the information she requires it will take her a couple of hours so we will leave her to it. I take it Emma has already briefed you all on what is required from each one of you. Has anyone seen Hook?" Regina said looking around the diner. The pirate had been missing since this who outbreak. 

"Come to think of it none of us have seen him or his ship" David trying to recall the last time he saw the pirate.

"We need to rest and some of us need to make sure that the infected towns folk done get out from their prison" Regina was surprisingly tired. She felt like her body was being drained. 

"I am going to my office. I suggest we band out and see what we can gather and find a place to regroup" Regina stood up kissing Henry on the head. Something was making her feel sick and she needed to be alone right now. 

Ruby and Emma decided to go to the station to check and see what they could gather there. They made their way to the sheriff’s station that was quite as usual. There was a mountain of paper work to go through and a mess they had to clear up. Although they were no major crimes, it was the small little crimes with tons of incident reports that had to be documented and filed. Emma began with her first case of the Raccoon Bandits at Granny’s. She still laughed remembering Granny standing with her crossbow loaded calling out to the thieves to come out with their hands up. 

“Something in that file lighten your mood?” Ruby asked as she swept away the broken glass.

“Yeah Granny and bandit racoon” Emma laughed picking up another file. 

“Hook turned out to be an absolute asshole, leaving us all at a time like this” Emma placed the files on her desk

“Hook yeah I guessed as much, knowing how he is in competion with Regina for your affections” Emma spun around looking at Ruby like she had just drunk poison 

“What the fuck Red! What do you mean Regina’s affections?”

“Oh please Emma I know your blonde but don’t tell me you’re that blonde that you fail to see how much Regina makes doey eyes at you every time you are in the diner” Red said slapping Emma playfully on her arm

“She doesn’t. Infact she despises me. She just tolerates me because of Henry or else she would have burnt me to ashes” Emma bent down to gather the stationary that was scattered all over the station floor.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I saw her crying outside in the street the night of your birthday she was watching you and Hook making eyes at each other” Emma’s jaw dropped open

“She was at home” Emma retorted knowing that Ruby may have mistaken someone else to be Regina.

“Emma, these eyes and nose are never wrong” Ruby said tapping her nose looking at her like she had insulted her very soul of being a wolf.

“Why would she be outside and not come in? It doesn’t make sense” Emma was trying to wrap her head around all the information she received from Ruby. 

“She was hurting, every time you were with Hook. I don’t know how you didn’t see it” Ruby was amazed that her friend would be oblivious to someone’s love.

“Ruby I never knew. Apparently everyone around me did, because Hook told me that when I saw him last and now you. I wonder how many more know about this.” Emma wondered did Regina really love her or was it pity for the her being simple in her thoughts that people saw. 

After finally gathering all they required from the station Red offered to take it to the diner for safe keeping . Emma said she would go to Regina at her office. She needed to sort this out and tell her how she felt. The question was would Regina feel the same way. And Emma didn’t want this to be unrequited love, like all her other relationship were. She got into her car and drove to Regina's office. She burst into the Mayor's office

“Ms.Swan what is the-” She narrowed her eyes at Emma when she saw the look in Emma's eyes and she could feel Emma's emotions

"Regina we need to talk" Emma said as the older woman sighed

“Ms.Swan, Would you like a drink?” She walked to her mini bar to fix two glasses of cider. She handed one to Emma as she sat there in front of the fire place. 

Regina sat next to her looking at her, waiting for her to speak, Emma had been silent all this time, her face looked like she wanted to say something. She sipped the cider which seemed to bring about some bit of comfort. She turned to look at Regina, she saw her in a different light this time. There was more to her than just being Evil Queen/Mayor of Storybrook. She was a beautiful lady who had all the grace and impeccable taste for the finer things in life. She was someone Emma loved to have a relationship with, to get to know, to love, to hold and spend a lifetime with. Maybe Hook didn't really see, it was she who was wanting Regina.

“Ms.Swan?” Regina couldn't read Emma's face, there was something painful yet something so beautiful that the blonde had when she looked at her. 

“Regina, why didn’t you tell me you came to the diner the night of my birthday” Emma watched as the Mayor’s tired to maintain her face but Emma could feel the rise in the Mayor emotions. 

She knew Regina saw Hook and her because Ruby told her. The only   
problem was Regina didn’t see that Emma was just being polite. The older woman’s hate towards the pirate only made her see red whenever he was in focus.

“I just decided on a whim to come, but I instantly regretted it because I could clearly see you were cosy with the pirate” she said bitterly as she took a sip of her cider. She stood up and walked back to her desk.

“I wasn’t getting cosy and nothing was happening. It's just that you are tunnel vision when you see him” Emma instantly regretted saying that. 

It made it sound like she was defending the pirate to the woman she had developed feelings for. Now with that she just lost any chance of actually discussing what she came here for. Regina narrowed her eyes and looked at the blonde sitting before her. She snorted and then let out a sarcastic laugh

“Well where is your pirate now, Ms.Swan.?” Emma looked ashamed knowing she didn't even know where he was. “Now” the mayor said as she place her glass on the table infront of her “If we are done here I have things to do” Emma stunned by her sudden change in demure. 

“Regina” Emma stood up looking the Mayor directly in the eyes, the look in the Mayor’s eyes was that of anger and disappointment towards Emma. It made Emma feel small and she decided that it was not the right time to discuss what she wanted to. 

“Goodnight” she said walking out of the office. 

Regina collapsed in her seat. Her eyes brimmed with tears, out of anger that Emma would still choose the pirate over her . Everything they had done together would just be as Mayor and Sherriff nothing else. The blonde had no feelings for her and once again Regina would have to shut down what she was feeling because it was going to end badly as it always did with everyone she had ever loved. The only way she knew to gain love was to take it by force and to kill anything that came in the way of that love. But why is Emma still alive then? She came in between Henry and her? 

Regina wanted the day to end just like any other day in her life. She lived like this for 28 years in Storybrook knowing what other’s didn’t know. When the first curse was put everyone lost their memories of their past except the Queen who remembered each and every painful detail. She never had a moment when she could forget everything that happened to her in the enchanted forest. Every day she walked the streets of Storybrook and she saw the woman who had wronged her walk around with no memories of what she had done. The curse was suppose to bring the mayor the much sort after happiness she was looking for but it instead brought the Saviour to her doorstep. And now again she was having some feelings towards the saviour but she feared it. So she decided to avoid it completely the last thing she wanted was heartache and pain that would just add to her memories of misery.

Emma sat in silence as she tried to put her finger on the constant change in the brunettes attitude. Just when she felt they were making progress in their steps of friendship, it would come crashing down all over again. She was getting fed up of this wall the Mayor put up constantly and the look of disappointment in her eyes when she saw Emma, it was like Emma had not only failed in life but also failed at giving her the happy ending she wanted. The build up of frustration was eating at Emma from within, all she wanted to do was sit down and have a decent talk with Regina without having any of the extras that always made it like a battle. Regina wasn’t the only one with an ugly, painful past, so why was it so hard for her to rely on Emma instead of judging her everytime. Was it because she was the daughter of Snow White and she expected her to be like her mother perfect? 

Her mother was far from perfect, Emma still was angry at the fact that her parents put her in the wardrobe and was even more angry that Gepetto lied to save August instead of letting her mother go with her. She would have been safe, she wouldn’t have scars from the past, that kept opening everytime she looked at her parents and the people of the town, most of all every time she looked into Regina’s eyes. 

Emma’s phone rang it was the station calling her in. She groaned out of all the days today was her lowest but she guessed this would be good for her get her mind off Regina for abit. She put her boots back on and trudged down to her car. The nights in the sleepy town of Storybrook were nothing like in Boston. Here she would have to wait for a magical visitor to come and cause chaos so Regina and she could fight together. As she drove to the station she thought back to the times when Regina and she would stakeout or drive down to the border hoping to kill a demon creature. She laughed at all the times the two of them would be at each other’s throats with Henry or a difference of opinion. But when there was a crisis with their family or even the town they came together to make sure it was solved. Emma’s emotions were on a high that night she just wanted to be able to talk to Regina about her feelings but she did not know how the older woman would react. Perhaps even burn her.

“What's the problem?” Emma said placing her phone and wallet on the table as Ruby came in with a file.

“I think you better sit down for this” Emma looked at the wolf like she was crazy “ This is Storybrook nothing can scare me” she laughed. Ruby raised an eyebrow at her. Emma looked as she opened the file but her expression changed when she saw the contents. 

“Are you sure about this?” she asked with seriousness

“I am as sure as I am a wolf, the person is someone who Regina hurt in the enchanted forest. Although they were never brought here by her, somehow they found away in.” Emma knew Ruby would never lie about her wolf. 

“Does David know about this?” 

“Not yet”

“We need to know where to find this person before any harm comes to Regina” just as Emma said that, her phone rang 

"Sheriff, its Mayor Mill's neighbour, I heard some disturbance coming from the Mayor's home, I think you should check it out" Emma grabbed her gun and radioed David . 

By the time David and Emma were at Regina’s door they noticed that the front door was broken in. Emma entered her gun ready in her hand to hit the intruder, David followed her both of them check for any signs of Regina, all they found a disturbance of effects all over. Emma felt traces of magic as she followed them up the stairs while she motioned to David to follow it to Regina’s study. Looking around and not finding Regina made Emma nervous that something bad must have happened to the other woman. If she had to use magic, but wait was it her magic or someone else. Emma was just learning to use her magic and couldn’t read magic lines like Regina or Gold could. “Regina?” she called out softly as she reached the Mayor’s bedroom. Trying the handle of the door Emma found it locked. “REGINA!” she shouted as she slammed into the door until David came up bounding up the stairs , they both kicked the door opened to find Regina on the floor not moving. Emma saw something move from the corner.

“STOP OR I’LL MAKE YOU REGRET IT!” she shouted at the shadow. 

The person stopped in front of the balcony. Emma made her way to Regina while David held the gun trained on the perp as he moved towards him. Regina was lying motionless, Emma could see a dark stain in the carpet around the Mayors side. The perp took this chance to jump through the balcony doors on to the tree that was outside it, David went to chase after him “David! we need to get her to the hospital!” David lifted the bloody Mayor in his arms but turned red when he noticed the front of her clothes were all torn and she was completely exposed. 

“Emma, we need to cover her up” Emma quickly grabbed a blanket and put it over her and they took her to the hospital. 

Emma couldn't believe this was happening not now, not at a time like this. She hoped that Regina wasn't seriously injured. Why didn't she use her magic? Why didn't she feel Regina's emotional stress?


	11. Chapter 11

Emma got into the back seat of the cruiser with Regina as she wrapped her up in the blanket like a baby, holding her tightly as David drove to the hospital. Regina's face had bruises and blood that covered the left side of her face. Emma wanted to wake her up, to tell she was there and that she was safe. But at that moment all she could do was choke back her tears and hold Regina tight hoping they would reach the hospital soon.

“Dr.Whale!” Emma called out as a nurse came running towards them, Whale following close behind. 

“Take her to the ER, stat!”Emma and David waited for Dr.Whale to complete all procedures and waited for a report. While Emma watched the clock , David was on the phone with Ruby to come with a Rape kit. Emma looked at him wide eyed as to how he jumped to the conclusion she was raped. 

“We don’t know if she was” he said “it's just a precaution” he assured Emma knowing how much she liked Regina and had grown quite close to the woman since the curse broke. Emma hoped that Regina was not raped as she wouldn’t know how to tell Henry neither would she know how to help Regina because it was the hardest thing to come back from.

“Sheriff Swan?” Emma looked at Dr.Whale tears swelling in her eyes as she quickly blinked them away. She took a deep breath bracing herself for the worst. Clearing her throat she looked at Dr.Whale’s grim face.

“The Mayor has sustained a cut to her forehead, broken ribs and lesions on her arms suggesting defensive wounds.” Emma tried to blink her tears away as anger built up inside her. David came up behind her and put an arm around her shoulder. Whale continued

“We have given her sedatives to help her rest and heal but I cannot say what further damages are there unless we do intensive tests.” 

“Was she sexually assaulted?” Emma said in one breath hoping against hope that the perpetrator had spared her that pain.

“Sheriff, there was an attempt made as from the bruises on her thighs but the mayor fought back because there are defensive wounds” Emma could feel her anger grow now. If only she had felt something she could have gotten there before none of this would have happened. She could have saved Regina. 

“Sheriff her attackers were strong” Emma looked up

“Attackers? How many are we talking about?” Emma looked at David who was just as surprised as they only saw one that was present in the room when they came in so where was the other one hiding?

“Yes, she was held down while the other one must have attempted to sexually assault her. Obviously the Mayor must have fought back and received a blow to the head to knock her out.” Whale looked at the paper work from Regina’s file and showed it to Emma. Emma looked at the anatomy part and it showed that Regina sustained injuries to her arms and legs as if someone was holding her down. 

“I want to see her” Emma said, Whale was not too sure to let Emma in but he knew she wouldn’t listen even if he tried to stop her. He led her down the hallway to private room that was reserved for the Mayor and her family only. 

As he entered the room Emma hesitated for fear of what she would see and whether she would be able to see Regina in this state. Sucking in whatever imaginary strength she could gather from the hospital air she walked in only to deflate a couple of steps in. Regina lay there with wire and monitors beeping. She was bandaged and there wasn’t a single part of her body that didn’t have a bruise. Her beautiful face was now swollen and with her left eye black from the beating. Whale and Emma stopped at her bed as he began to explain to Emma about the Mayor’s injuries. Everything seemed to be in a distance, all Emma could see was Regina and her fury to destroy the monster’s who did this to the Mayor. 

“Regina” Emma whispered as she gently traced the Mayor now bruised face knowing she was not going to wake up anytime soon. She choked back a sob that was threatening to leave her throat. Just then her phone rang, she saw it was Snow calling. Emma picked up but before she could say anything she heard the teenager’s voice boom over the earpiece.

“Ma! What happened to mom!?” 

“Henry, there has been an attack on your mom”

“Attack? What kind? A magical one?” he keep firing questions at Emma who didn’t know whether she should go into details of the attack with their son, but he was a smart kid and he would know, nothing ever stayed hidden with him. 

Emma felt there was something evil about the aura of that magic. Someone did not want Regina using the spell to cure the towns people. The darkness inside her was still very much there but there was also light that she had worked so hard for. Now Emma needed to do everything possible to help Regina preserve the light and snuff of the darkness. 

Emma hung up and she looked back at Regina who was just lying there. Emma had so much to say to her she never found the right words of time to tell her. She stroked Regina’s hair 

“ You know something Regina, today I came to your office to tell you something about my feelings for you. Somehow, I don’t know why, I can never seem to say what I feel for you when I see you. For me time stands still, and I only see you. Do you think that is strange? I feel drawn to you, to be near you even though I know you can’t stand me.” Emma chuckled to herself.

“Ma?” She felt an hand on her arm, she looked up to meet green eyes like her’s staring back.

“Henry when did you get here?” She looked at Snow angrily. 

She didn't want Henry seeing Regina like this and she was sure Regina wouldn't want it either. Henry was staring at his other mother with tears that were threatening to fall. He gently touched his mom's hand and kissed it. Although Henry had problems with Regina in the past, he knew that no matter what his adoptive mother would give her life for him and her love was always true to him. He hated seeing her like this. He was so used to her being all powerful and in control. To see her here, lying so still and helpless, hurt him to no end. He held on to her hand, hoping she would wake up.

“Kid” he saw his birth mother trying hard to be strong for him. He knew she was a wreck on the inside, but she would never show it. Henry knew Emma had feelings for his mom but never found the courage to tell her. He held Emma’s hand and gently squeezed to letting her know he was there for her as well.

“Ma, what happened to mom?” He asked her quietly as she sat down beside her. 

“Henry, I-I felt dark magic in the room when I entered” Emma swallowed hard. She didn’t know how to use her magic completely yet, Regina was still training her and if something like this would happen again would she be able to protect her. She dreaded thinking something like this could happen again.

“Ma, it will be fine. You can heal mom. She will be better, I know it, I believe in you” Henry hugged her knowing well that his birth mom would never let anything happen to his mom. He knew there was a bond between the two of them, even though they didn’t see it he did. 

Emma stifled a sob, she needed to be strong for Henry, she turned away and walked out into the hallway breaking down. What if Regina died? What if she couldn’t save her? The questions kept hammering into Emma, she felt she was losing hope of giving Regina her happy ending. Emma looked at her hands, hands that were meant to save and protect. She slammed her hand into the wall wanting to scream out. The feeling of desperation spread inside her life wild fire. Her heart hurt and it was heavy. Her throat hurt no matter how many time she swallowed the lump wouldn’t go away. Her head hurt every time she remembered Regina on the floor of her bedroom, bleeding and unconscious. Emma remembered the fear she felt at the thought of Regina being dead.

Snow and David were in the waiting room. Emma walked in to find them both asleep. It was late and they had been with her since the time Regina was brought in several hours ago. Emma smiled looking at them. Although Emma grew up without knowing them, she still loved them. They tried so hard to make up for everything that she lost growing up. She gently touched her father’s arm, he woke up looking at her until he realized where he was. 

“Emma, is she alright? Where’s Henry?” He asked looking behind her

“He’s with Regina, she is stable.” Emma said sitting next to her father. Snow who had now woken up looked at her daughter and knew all this that had happened to Regina was taking a toll on Emma. Snow was very aware of Emma’s feelings for Regina. 

“Sweetheart, she will be alright. Regina has always fought her way through life and she never gave up” Snow gently squeezed Emma’s arm. Emma gave her mother a meek smiled before she heard Henry’s voice 

“Ma!” Emma looked up to find her panic stricken son panting in the doorway, she jumped to her feet pushing her way to the hallway that led to Regina’s room. Bursting through the doors she saw that Whale was working on Regina.

“Clear” he put the machine and Emma watched as Regina’s body jerked up to the jolt of the current that passed through her body. “Continue with the CPR!” Whale instructed the assistant doctor

“What's happening!” Whale ordered Emma to step back to give him space to work on the Mayor. 

“Clear!” he gave her a second jolt. Emma wanted to scream to Regina to wake up! The heart monitors just kept flat-lining. She could see Henry, Snow and David outside the door watching in horror. 

“Come on Regina, you're not going to die on me now! I haven’t even told you I love you!” Whale tried again, but the Mayor didn’t respond to it. He shook his head looking at the other doctors , who stopped the CPR. 

“No, No! “ Emma grabbed the doctor’s hands and put it back on Regina “You don’t get to stop!” she yelled at him, she went to the other side to Whale 

“ Get her back! Bring her back Whale!” she was yelling through her tears. Whale gripped Emma’s hands 

“Sheriff, I'm sorry, we did all we could.” He said as she turned to the other doctor. Snow, David and Henry watched as the Whale pronounced the time of death

“Time of Death 03:00 am-“ Emma pushed him away from Regina and she was not going to let her go, she was not going to let the woman she loved die. 

She lifted Regina’s lifeless body in her arms as she held her close, wishing hard 

“Please come back to me, please don’t leave me” pressing her hand against Regina’s chest. 

With her hand on Regina's chest as she sent her magic into her. But nothing was happening 

"Regina for fucks sake wake up!" 

She remember what Regina had told her that since she was a dark magic user she had to accept Emma's magic. 

"REGINA ACCEPT ME! ACCEPT ME" Emma was crying as she pushed her hand into Regina's chest and held her heart from the inside. 

"Magic is fuelled by emotion Ms.Swan, and you seemed to be running around with a lot of it" Emma remembered Regina saying that. 

She heard her voice echo as she closed her eyes. Everyone in the room went silent, no one dare touch the saviour. Her hand was still inside Regina's chest. Emma started to think of the first time she saw Regina, her heart beat so fast that she knew this woman was special and that she would eventually be a big part of her life. She started to feel and see all of Regina's memories healing her, helping her, her smile, her touch, her kindness, her vulnerabilities, her happiness and sadness, her pain and her strength to overcome it. But what fuelled Emma's magic the most was Regina crying over her when she saw her with Hook. 

Suddenly, there was a bright light that emitted from the Mayor's chest and there was a soft lavender glow. Snow’s eyes grew wide as she saw the light glow brighter than she had ever seen before. Emma’s tears fell on Regina’s face while chanting 

“Please come back to me, please don’t leave me”. All of sudden the machines beside them began to beep wildly. Henry looked at it and cried tears of happiness. 

“Mom’s Alive, she alive!” he choked on his words.

Emma laughed through her tears, Regina was alive and in her arms. She held her close not wanting to let go. Whale stood there scratching his head trying to make sense of the magic. 

“Sheriff, I will need to examine her” he said hoping he could get the sheriff away from the Mayor to check her and make sure she was really alive. 

Whale had tried all his life to find a cure to bring his brother back to life. Here in one go the Saviour brought the dead mayor back to life. He was going to run some tests on the Mayor when the sheriff wasn’t around. Emma slowly moved her hand out of Regina's chest as she laid her down gently. She stepped aside but did not let go of Regina's hand.

She wasn’t going to let go of her hand, she was never letting go of her. Whale checked Regina and drew blood to test it. After talking to everyone, Emma stayed behind. She crawled into bed with Regina and held her. She stroked the brunette’s hair and kissed the top of her head .Emma held her close 

“We have a lot to talk about. But after you are back to your old self” Emma said as she fell asleep holding Regina close.

In the morning, Snow walked into Regina’s room, to find Emma snuggled into her. Regina, although alive had still not woken up. Snow made sure she was as quite as possible. She placed the breakfast she had picked from Granny’s on the table beside Emma. She gently woke her daughter up. Emma opened her eyes and was at first startled to see her mother standing there and quickly looked at Regina who was sleeping and breathing. She sighed with relief and quietly moved off the bed. She stretched her legs and arms, and smiled at her mom. Snow picked up the cup of coffee and gave it to Emma who gratefully took it from her and took a sip of it.

“Where’s Henry, Mom?” Emma asked surprised their son was not in to see his mother. 

“David took him to the station, he said he would bring him over” Snow said as she opened the takeaway back with Emma’s breakfast in it. Both the women sat down on the couch as they had their coffee in awkward silence, until Snow blurted out

“So did you see the lavender glow?” Emma stopped munching her bearclaw and looked at her mother. She knew she had seen what had happened the previous night when she placed her hand in Regina. At that time Emma she only wanted Regina alive.

“Yes I did” she said with a goofy grin.

“It's true love colour . How are you going to explain it to Regina?” Emma hadn’t thought about that. How was she going to get Regina to feel the same way she did. Knowing the brunette she would say this was a mistake and some sort of false magic.

“I don’t know mom, I don’t know how I will make her understand and believe about what happened here” Emma leaned back looking at Regina sleeping peacefully. Before anything she needed to find out who the shadow was . She needed to shower and change and get to the station and get cracking on this. 

“Mom, can you stay with Regina I have a couple of things I have to do with regard to Regina’s case, call if there are any changes” Snow nodded and assured Emma she wouldn’t leave Regina for a second.

Emma was sure that the file Ruby showed her was someone from Regina’s past in the enchanted forest. There were people in Storybrook with a personal vendetta against Regina and some of them had their identities hidden. Emma needed to find out who went to the extent of hurting Regina . Regina’s past was still a mystery to Emma. She always got bits of information when an issue or event happened in connection to Regina. Gold was the only one who knew Regina since she was little. Her mother Cora was trained by him and he was Regina’s mentor too. Emma needed to gain entry into Regina’s vault but she knew it was protected by a spell that only Regina could dispel. Slamming her hand in frustration, she needed help, she needed a clue to help her to start. 

“Emma?” the blonde looked up to find Tinkerbell looking at her. Emma furrowed her brows, she didn’t call Tinkerbell, so why was the fairy here.

“Tink, did we have a meeting?” Emma said sitting up look at the fairy who took her seat opposite the sheriff. 

“No, but I came here regarding Regina’s attack. I heard David talking and he said there was someone in the Mayor’s bedroom” 

“Yes, there was one perp but Whale said there were two. I didn’t see the second one”

“Because there is no second one” Tink said bluntly, Emma looked at her like she was an idiot

“There were two who attacked her Tink. Her body was covered with marks from a two person attack” Emma stressed

“Yes, but this is no ordinary person we are talking about Emma. Haven’t you noticed there is a change in the air. There is an imbalance in the magic. I am sure Regina knew about it.” Tinker bell opened her messenger bag and put a small compass on the table. 

“Tink, I am looking for the perp not direction” Emma said frustrated. Tinkerbell raised her finger to silence her.

“Do you have any evidence from the scene?” Emma opened her drawer and pulled out Regina’s torn night clothes that still had blood on it. The sight of her love’s blood made Emma’s heartbreak.

“I can’t take it out of the evidence bag” Emma told Tink.

“You don’t need too” She placed the compass on the evidence and the compass started to spin wildly. 

“As I suspected. It's the same magic trace” Emma looked at the compass trying to make sense of what was happening.

“Explain!” Emma wanted to know if this was going to help Regina.

“I don’t know who it is, but it's a mix of magic. The person using the spell is someone who has never used this type of magic before. When magic is used by someone who had magical background it leaves a signature trace of the wielder, magic is all consuming, especially blood magic. The person who is using it has gotten hold of a power magical object that gives them the ability to used it but had no control. Hence the previous incident of the dead coming into Storybrook and the change in Magic strain.” 

“Magic Strain? You mean like a pattern?” Emma leaned forwards looking at Tinkerbell who nodded.

“My concern is not about the wielder but about the chaos it can unleash if he or she isn’t stopped. And it seems that the target is Regina. Means someone else is using this person as a channel to do its bidding” Tink sat back as the information registered in her head.

“Who?” Emma said searching TinkerBell’s face

“Don't know yet. This person has a personal vendetta against Regina and this goes back to the Enchanted Forest” Tinkerbell said thoughtfully

“Tink that doesn’t really help me does it. It your forgetting Regina is the ex Evil Queen, even a stone has a vendetta against her” Emma sat back in her seat letting out a puff of frustration. Things couldn’t get worse. If Regina didn’t wake up soon they were not going to get any answers. And she had to come up with an explanation on the True Love thing. 

“I am going to go an read up more on this. There has to be something Belle can help with” Tinkerbell rose to her feet, she turned to look at Emma

“Emma, try an learn how to distinguish Magic Strains and patterns that might help make this easier” she said before leaving. 

Ruby walked in with Emma's morning breakfast. She looked at the Mayor's torn clothes in the evidence bag and knew it was really hard for Emma as it was Regina who was the victim here. Emma was deep in thought about what Tinkerbell just said. Ruby touched her arm to alert her she was there.

"Red sorry, I didn't see you come in" she said as she took the bag from her.

"Did you find anything on Regina's attacker?" Emma sighed and told Ruby about her conversation with Tinkerbell. 

"That doesn't make it easy. Regina made alot of enemies in the enchanted forest and even though she has turned for the better, some people cannot forget nor forgive" Ruby knew there were some people who still viewed Regina as the evil queen and didn't believe she could change. 

"Do you know anyone off the top of your head that you could name. It would give me somewhere to start" Emma said hopefully. Right now she had nothing. 

"Hmmm. Let's see, there is Sydney, Albert Spencer, Jefferson, Rumple, Blue, Zelena, Ho-"

"Whoa! these are mostly magic wielders. This person has no idea about magic and is taking the help of someone who does" Emma said exasperated

"Well then I can't help off the top of my head. I will have to think about it and let you know" Ruby said feeling bad she couldn't help Emma just yet. 

"Ruby the file you showed me. The person in that is a resident of StoryBrook and has been for along time. Moreover the person is bound to a wheelchair. I don't think he would get too far on that, especially not out the window." Emma thought back to what   
Tinkerbell said " or as Tinkerbell explained earlier that the person was using some kind of magical relic. Probably something belonging to an old magic wielder." 

"And where would a wheelchair bound person go looking for it?" Ruby asked sarcastically.

"Unless the person was never wheelchair bound to begin with" Emma and Ruby rose to their feet. They were going to visit Albert Spencer. 

As the two of them got into the cruiser and drove away, something in the review mirror caught Emma's eye. She jammed the breaks causing the whole care to jolt forward. 

"Emma what the-" Ruby looked at her like she was crazy. Emma didn't wait for Ruby to complete her sentence she put the car into reverse gear and backed it up as fast she could. She was right!

"Hook" she growled. She got out of her car and stomped up to him. She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around and punched him.

"What the bloody hell Swan!" her yelled as he touch his now bleeding lip. 

"Where were you Killian all these days?" she questioned him. His face changed and he gave her his charming smile thinking Emma really missed him instead he received another punch to the face. 

"Alright, stop! I was away on business" he said looking at both the women who stood there menacingly. 

"Oh, funny you should have business when the rest of the world is under a zombie apocalypse." 

"Well, funny thing happened, someone asked me to retrieve something for them from a play in New York." he started laughing " and they said it was a gem stone they needed to add to their collection. They offered me a good price, so I went "

"You went to New York and robbed it!" Emma was furious at Hook. 

"Hear me out. I didn't know at that time, but when I came back and crossed the barrier the stone activated." Emma couldn't believe she was hearing this. Hook would do anything for a pretty penny.

"So who was this client of yours ? Albert Spencer?" Emma scoffed

"No, Gold. The crocodile wanted it for some collection of his, he even gave me this little pouch so I wouldn't lose it" Hook shrugged. Emma saw red, so Gold knew all along and he did not say a word.

"Ruby, Gold has Cora's book! We have to get it from him" Emma and Ruby rushed off to the cruiser to get to Gold's shop.

Inside they found Belle at the front. 

"Where's Gold Belle? We need to talk to him" Emma said with urgency. 

"Rumple went out and 30 minutes ago he said he was going to see how Regina was doing" Emma's eyes went wide, he was going to finish the job. They rushed out and headed to the hospital. They met Snow at the nurse's station.

"Mom, did Gold come to see Regina?" Emma asked a confused looking Snow

"No, I've been there the whole time, and stepped out because a nurse called me something about Regina's medication" Emma pushed past Snow and ran to Regina's room. 

Her heart racing all the while hoping she would reach her in time. She burst into Regina's room and saw her resting. She breathe a sigh of relief. She walked into the room alone, when she suddenly felt everything including herself freeze. She saw Gold and a shadow that followed closely but had no human shape. Until it came to the edge of Regina's bed. A dark hooded figure rose from the shadow.

"Ah Ms.Swan, its lovely to finally meet you. My name is Mother Gothel." she looked at Regina. "Hmm, the foolish shadow and you did not complete the job last night" Gothel was disappointed. She looked at Emma and looked at Rumple

"Oh, let her speak Rumple, surely the child has alot of questions" Gothel smiled looking at Emma. With a flick of his wrist. Emma was only able to move her head. 

"Gold you son of bitch! how could you do that to Regina!" 

"Ah, but I didn't do it to Regina. You did" he said smiling. Emma's eyes widened in horror.

"Remember when you were all beaten up, Regina came crying to me to find a way to save you. I told her to bind your magic that would help you heal. And she is so much in love with you she would do anything to save you." Gold said smiling. 

"If you hadn't noticed Ms.Swan, ever since your healing and magic binding the Regina has been having problems with her magic. While she was healing you something inside you seized her magic and almost killed her. Was it your desire for her?" Gold smirked at her 

Emma watched as Gothel neared Regina. She looked at the Mayor asleep. 

"Don't touch her!" Emma hissed at her. Gothel raised her hand and pushed it into Regina's chest. She looked at Emma smiling. Emma watched as Gothel's triumphant smile turned to a sour expression of defeat. 

"Didn't find what you were looking for?" Emma's satisfied look made Gothel's eyes burn with fury. 

"Where is the Queen's heart?" she screamed in rage as she was in seconds inches from Emma's face.

"It is where it needs to be safe and sound" Emma grinned

"But how?" Gold asked now very perplexed at the saviour's intuitions. 

"When I put my hand into Regina's chest to bring her back, I not only felt her love, I also saw her memories. And I saw you Gold. But I needed more proof that you were behind this. I was lucky to run into Hook today and he was able to tell me that you sent him on procuring a very special stone for your collection. Expect it wasn't just any stone was it. It was the stone to open the part in Cora's book on raising the dead. The actual stone that was from the valley of the dead in Egypt. It was no use to mere human's, but Hook being a fairy tale being was able to activate it when he put it into that pouch. You made sure the pouch you gave Hook was enchanted. The things that were dead in the ground around the forest and within Storybrook came to life because of this thing. You wanted them to come to life. But why do you want Regina's heart?" Emma hadn't figured that part out yet.

"Regina's heart is the key to completing this entire thing. Her heart is dark and mixed with your magic its perfect for controlling these things and having an army of the dead. We tried taking her heart last night but she put up a fight. And then you and your father came in, we lost our opportunity" Gold said in defeat. 

"But how did you know we would come here?" Gothel asked now more curious about the woman before her.

"I knew from Regina's memory who it was and knew you would be back to finish the job. But I also knew that leaving her heart in her was risky should something or someone come to kill her, that is why I took it out of her for safe keeping" Emma tried to ignite her magic she needed to break free and arrest these two. Maybe if she kept them talking long enough someone would come in looking for her. Snow perhaps. 

"Gold, you not only put StoryBrook in danger but you have put the whole world outside Storybrook in a pandemic." Emma spat at him

"That's why we need the heart of the Queen" he said defensively. 

"You are never having it. You need to stop and reverse this pandemic now!" 

"I hate to tell you this Ms.Swan, but we cannot reverse it. The Stone is active but we are yet to find something that tells us how to deactivate it. The spell said we could control it with the heart of dark and light but not how to change people back. Dead is dead" Rumple said knowing that at that moment it was best to disappear with Gothel because knowing Emma she was going to break free and kill them both.

"Regina had a reversal spell in Cora's book, Belle had it, she was translating it." Emma said firming remembering the diner and vault.

"Ms.Swan, where do you think I know that this spell cannot be reversed from. Belle translated the thing and that how we know" Rumple decided it was time to go. He signalled Gothel who nodded her head. 

"Guess your going have to now be Saviour to the whole world" he smirked as he threw the stone at Emma and disappeared with Gothel.

As soon as they disappeared, Emma was able to move again. Well most of her questions were answered but now they had a bigger problem on their hands. Emma picked the stone. The blue stone glowed in her hands it was almost mesmerising her. She shut her eyes. So this is the stone that caused all the issues. If they were to go over the line the stone would deactivate but would it kill everything outside. She moved to Regina's bed and looked at her. She was sleeping, Emma placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. And walked out. Snow was still at the nurse's station. It was like no time had passed. She needed to gather the other's and update them on what she had just found out. Sooner or later, they were going to have to go to the other side.


	12. Chapter 12

"So basically all this mess was caused by Gold, Gothel and Hook?" Snow asked bewildered that they would cause something like this, which not only effected Storybrook but also the world outside. 

"Somehow Regina's heart is the key. But she hasn't woken up yet when she does maybe we can have more information on this" Emma was actually not sure what state of mind Regina would be in or would she even remember anything. 

What weighed the most on her mind was the fact that she was going to have to tell Regina what happened exactly. She was dreading the whole conversation to come. She felt Snow's hand on her's giving her a little squeeze of reassurance as if she knew what Emma was thinking.

"It will be fine, honey. Everything will work out" 

"I hope so mom, I hope so" 

It had been 1 week since Regina's attack, Emma spent the day at the hospital, sitting beside Regina's bed waiting for her to wake up. Emma was exhausted, ever since the attack she had been running around like a mad woman and with all the revelations, right now she just needed Regina to wake up. The woman who understood Emma better than anyone else in this town. She missed hearing her call her Ms.Swan or chide her for something she did. 

Regina opened her eyes slowly, they felt heavy like she had been in an eternal sleep. Her head had a dull ache and her lips and throat were dry. She tried hard to focus on something in the room everything was a blur, hoping it would tell her where she was. She tried moving but her body refused to yield. She let out a little groan as she felt pain in her sides. 

"What is going on?" she thought. 

There was something heavy on her hand, she tried to slowly move her head until she was at a point where she could see what was on it. What she saw shocked her. The unmistakeable golden tresses, that chiselled jaw line, and the red jacket. Regina's eyes soften. Emma. The blonde had fallen asleep on Regina's hand holding on to it for dear life. Regina tried wriggling her fingers hoping Emma would wake up, but again nothing happened. She let out a little cry of frustration, as most instantly Emma's head shot up looking at her. Emma looked at Regina, she saw a tear roll down the side of the Mayor's face. She was by Regina's head in a second. Stroking her hair, gently and smiling at her with tears in her eyes, so grateful that she woke up.

"Hey, you woke up" she wanted to place a kiss on the brunette's forehead but she didn't want to startle her until she had sat down and spoke to her. 

Regina croaked out 

"Wa-ter" she felt like a thousand thorns were piercing her throat as she spoke. 

Emma poured a glass of water, she didn't want to move her till Whale checked her out so she took a spoon and fed Regina some water. She wiped the Mayor mouth and sat down next to her after she buzzed the nurse to get Whale. 

Regina just started at Emma, not knowing what to say. Why was Emma here alone sleeping on her hand. Whale and a nurse enter the room. They began to check Regina as Emma stood away so they could have space to work. 

"Looks like Madame Mayor is doing well." Whale jotted down something in his file

"Not-Well" Regina said in a hoarse voice

"Not well? Your vitals are fine, Madam Mayor" Whale looked confused.

"Ca-n't m-ove" Regina struggled to get her words out, but Whale understood and started to check her sensitivity and reflexes to pokes and taps. Emma watch as Regina was non- responsive to any of the tests conducted by Whale.

"Why can't she feel anything?" Emma held Regina's hand and squeezed it hoping to get a response but all she got was a frustrated cry from the Mayor.

"Em-ma, c-an't m-ove" tears started to roll down the Mayor's face. 

"Shhh.shhh, its okay, it going to be fine. It's probably the medication or something. You just woke up, let's give it a few hours okay" Emma was hoping that everything would be fine. Did Gothel do something when she put her hand into Regina's chest? Whale pulled Emma aside 

"Sheriff, the mayor has what we call Temporary Paralysis it's also known as periodic paralysis. It occurs when all or some muscle control in any part of the body comes and goes periodically. Since the Mayor was attacked and has been on bed rest she has muscle weakness. Also the fact that she was hit by magic that effected every cell in her body." Whale explained as he showed her images of mutation in Regina's blood.

"So what can we do?" Emma wanted Regina out of bed now.

"She will be fine, but she will need help to strengthen herself again. The magic would require to come out and that's where you come in. You will have to help her cleanse out the poison that is that magic" Whale assured her. 

"Does she require to stay here ?" Emma knew that this was a crucial time and that she needed Regina to get better soon

"No. She will be able to move her limbs once the process is complete, that can be done at home as well. For now the Mayor would require 24 hrs care. I can give you a nurse to care for her" Whale offered

"That won't be required, I will look after her" Regina stared at Emma. Why was she offering to care for her 24 hrs a day. "When can she be taken home?"

"I will need to keep her overnight if she does fine then you may take her home tomorrow" Whale nodded to the two ladies to themselves.

"Em-ma, you do-n't n-eed to" 

"Stop right there Regina, I know I don't need to but I want to, End of discussion. Hungry?" she sat beside the bed and cut an apple for Regina, carving it into small bite size pieces so the Mayor wouldn't struggle with it. 

Regina ate in silence hoping she would gain her strength soon. Emma had to go to the station for the night but she made sure she left Ruby with Regina and told her to call her if she require anything at all. 

Regina was discharged the next day, Emma didn't think it was best to take her to her home so she decided that she stay at Snow's apartment where they could keep an eye on her at all times. Snow was more than happy to have Regina at home with them. Emma went to the mansion and collected a few of Regina's personal belongings that she would require while she got better. When she came back home, Regina was sitting in the living room with Snow. Snow saw Emma enter and excitedly when to her

"Regina move a finger" she said Emma was now sure the Mayor was trying to self heal so she could get better faster. 

She knelt down infront of Regina and touched her hand. She squeezed her and gently and waited. She looked into the brunette's eyes encouraging her to squeeze back. Regina tried but she only managed to move her little finger. Emma was not going to give up so easy. She was going to make Regina walk in the next couple of days as they needed to cross the line as the pandemic was far worse than it was a week ago. 

"Regina, do you think my sharing magic with you would speed up the process?" Emma touched the brunette's hands and gently massaged them in hers. The Mayor's hand was cold and non responsive.

"It's w-orth t-ry" Regina said more confidently. She had been working the whole night to get her speech back together. 

The blonde looked into the brown eyes she now knew was her true love. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, waiting to feel Regina's magic open to her. She nodded at Regina who started to open her magic a little bit just enough for Emma to send her some. She felt the warm waves enter her hands, but there was something different this time. The magic mingled and it was no more painful, but it was soothing and calming, and there was more emotion in it. She looked at Emma whose eyes focused on her hands. This magic was not glowing white it was lavender. Regina frowned was her magic weakened.

"Em-ma, stop" she put in every ounce of her strength she could muster to pull her hand away.

"What's wrong?" Emma was alarmed she quickly touched Regina's arms her eyes pools of concern for the brunette who seemed upset at something. 

"it's different, lav-ender" Emma looked guilty at the mention of lavender magic. She needed to explain to Regina about what happened. But she had to chose the right time to tell her about it, now wasn't the time. 

"Em-ma?" Regina looked at her questioningly. She knew the blonde was hiding something from her. She looked at Snow who was looking guilty as well. 

"What is hap-ning" she now needed to know. "ll me Sswan" Emma held her trying to calm her but she knew Regina wouldn't give up until she knew what was happening. She opened her mouth to answer the brunette's question when her radio buzzed

"Emma we have a problem at the line" Ruby voice sounded far away. Regina looked at Emma who mumbled and apology and rushed out the door. Regina let out a frustrated shout, she needed to be out there, this was her town. She needed to protect the   
people here and she needed to get to Robin. 

Emma reached StoryBrook line, David and Ruby were already there looking at the line. She saw that the dead on the other side had increased, some of them left with no limbs, some with skin that was now rotting beyond recognition. There were children in the mix. Ruby was checking something at the end of the line at the forest area. Emma walked to her passing the dead who seemed oblivious to them. David was holding something in his hand. He turned to see Emma looking at his hand. He raised it up and showed   
her. Her eyes widened in horror. 

"Where did you find this?" She asked grabbing hold of it from David. He pointed to a tree. Emma opened the message that was attached to it. 

"My darling Regina" Emma's swallowed hard. 

" I do not know if you would get this or not, but I am hoping you do. The pandemic started a couple of weeks ago when it first started, we thought it was a common cold and flu. But then Marion caught it. She got very sick even though she was being treated she passed away. We laid her to rest. Roland and I decided to return to StoryBrook in hopes of finding you and living our life again. Unfortunately, when we came here the dead had already started to move towards StoryBrook. We tried to get in but I think we require you to do so. We will try and find a safe place somewhere nearby and hope that we don't get caught by these thing. Godspeed my love, Robin" 

Emma felt her head pounding, one thing because Robin came back and that now he didn't have his honour code. Secondly, he and Roland were somewhere lost. She was now going to have Regina about this. 

"You know you don't have to" Ruby came up behind her friend. She knew about Regina being Emma's true love and she didn't want anything coming in-between them. 

"I have to Ruby, I haven't told her about us. I don't think I can now, with Robin back, I don't think Regina will want to be with me" she gripped the little note so tight, she felt her heart would just break. 

She loved Regina and wanted her happiness. If it was with Robin then she had to let go. The note fell down and she bent to pick it up only to come face to face with a little girl. She must have been around 5 to 6 years old. Her body bore scratches, her blonde hair showing signs of decay around her hairline now green. Her eyes white with no soul. Part of her shoulder was missing looked like it was ripped off. She hissed as Emma moved slowly knowing she couldn't see her but definitely felt her. David put a hand on her shoulder and gently eased her away from the line. 

The ride back tormented Emma's mind. She hoped that what they found was a just an illusion and that what she read was just a bad dream and she would wake up, but then the note in her hand was very real. She closed her eyes wishing it away. Wishing she would get a chance to tell Regina about their relationship and how it had drastically changed over the past week. She watched the large tree that adorned the sides of the road that took her back to Storybrook watch them silently. No one said a word to Emma. They all knew what had happened at the hospital except for Regina. Now it was up to Emma to tell Regina about their findings. David and Ruby decided not to because this was Emma and Regina's business. When they entered the town of StoryBrook, Emma took an even deeper breath. They pulled up infront of the apartment as they got out slowly. No one was in a hurry to get to the apartment or to divulge their findings to the two ladies who waited at home for them. 

David and Ruby stopped at the front door as they watched Emma hesitate. Her heart was breaking and the uncertainty of Regina's reaction to their finding was killing her. She remembered when they got rid of the horde the first go around Regina's first reaction was to go find Robin. Has anything changed? Would she still want to be with him? Questions after questions hit Emma making her want to run away from there. 

"Emma?" she looked up to see her father's concerned eyes looking at her. He held her in a tight hug as she gripped on a let her tears run free. This was her father, the comfort she found in his arms was far different from any comfort. She had searched for this love and comfort all her life in family that were not hers. In families she wanted to belong to so badly. 

"I'm fine" she pulled away from her father as he still held her at arm's length looking at his little girl. She gave him a weak smile as she watched Ruby knock on the green door. 

It was opened by Snow who looked at Ruby then David until her eyes settled on Emma. She opened her mouth to say something Emma signalled for her not to. Emma wiped away her tears and composed herself as she walked into the tiny apartment towards Regina. Who looked worried at all the commotion and no information. She sighed in relief when she saw Emma. 

"Em-ma, w-hat happen-d?" she knew Emma was crying because her eyes were red and her eyelashes wet and it wasn't that cold outside for her to have wind tears. Emma forced a smile on her face knowing not to alarm the brunette

"Regina, we found something." Ruby's face changed, she was hoping Emma's wouldn't tell, but then again this was Emma, she would never lie to Regina even if it killed her. 

"Wh-at?" Regina moved her finger trying to catch Emma's attention.

"Yes, 'Gina. We found this arrow" She showed it to her. Regina instantly knew who the arrow was from.

"W-as the-re an-y e-lse" Regina stammered in excitement. Emma slowly moved her hand with the note in it. She opened the brunette's hand as she place it in her palm. Regina rolled her eyes to Emma, who mumbled an apology as she opened the note to read it out to her. When she finished she could see the answer she dreaded in Regina's eyes. She was still in love with Robin and now was more determined than ever to get to him. 

"Em-ma, need Ro-bin" she was moving her eyes frantically and her finger. Emma felt defeated in everyway. She wanted to disappear right about now. Snow put an hand on her shoulder. She wanted Emma to tell Regina about them, but Emma decided against it. She was going to support Regina in anyway she could to help her find Robin. 

"Are we ready to try again to heal?" The rest of them left Regina and Emma to do what they needed to. 

Snow and the other gathered in the kitchen around the island in silence. She busied herself making Coffee and eats for them all. But with everything there was either a loud clang or bang, until David walked to Snow to stop her.

"Calm down" he held his wife looking at her

"How can I David, Emma is her true love and she is not telling her. Now Robin is back and you saw in there how Regina reacted to that letter. My child will be left heartbroken" Snow held on to David 

"If their love is real they will find each other" David knew what he said was true because true love always wins. 

"But what if it doesn't this time? We know Robin was found with pixie dust" David found it strange that Snow was really doubting True love this go around

"Snow, they will find each other never doubt that" 

"I hope you are right David" 

Regina was exhausted from the magic healing. Emma seemed to be more determined than ever to heal her. But every time she did Regina felt different emotions of Emma. She couldn't understand why, but Emma this time touched Regina throat and her heart as she started to send in magic, she could hear Regina groan as the magic went into her. Emma looked into Regina's eyes and told her 

" You are going to be better soon and you will find your Robin" Regina's eyes filled with tears. After Emma was done, she waited for Regina to talk

"How do you feel?" Emma waited with anticipation to hear Regina talk like she did before all this happened. Regina cleared her throat and attemped to speak willing the words to come out of her mouth just as she had thought them in her head,

"I am fine now Emma" Emma let out a sigh of relief, she was worried her emotions would not let her heal Regina. 

"Emma, I wanted to ask you ab-" 

"Mom!" Henry came bounding into the room, as he gave his mother a big bear hug. Regina still couldn't hold him but she made sure she peppered her son with kissed

"My prince" Emma stood up leaving the two of them to catch up as she made her way to the balcony. She need some time to herself, right now she was thinking of a way to get to the other side. She felt it was best if everyone came to the diner that night since Regina could now talk at least they could decide on a plan to start their move to the other side.

She heard someone open the balcony door. She turned around to see Ruby and David there. 

"We need to meet up at the diner tonight. We have to get moving as soon as Regina is healed. If we are prepared before she is completely healed we can get going." 

"We will need to meet up with someone who knows about these things, I know Regina knows about them from books but she had never really encounter any of them in the Enchanted Forest" Ruby knew for that matter none of them had ever encounter anything like this.

The diner was busy as usual, all of them were at the diner including Regina who Emma made sure was safe and secure in a booth where she could see everyone she needed to address. Ruby waiting for them with two beautiful dark haired ladies. 

“Emma, what is Regina doing here?” Archie said at Regina's side

“She insisted on coming and she wanted talk to everyone” 

“Emma this is Drizella”

“Nice to meet you, and this is Anastasia, she is my sister. She is the only person who can put me at ease in times of crisis.” Drizella looked at Anastasia lovingly. 

“So you're Emma I have heard so much about. I must say that the talk has not done justice to your beauty” Emma noticed that Drizella's eyes where dark and soulless, but there was a certain warmth emitting from this French heiress. 

Regina watched the back and forth exchange of glances between Emma and Drizella, something inside her was making her uncomfortable and she wanted to tell Drizella to back off, but why was she so concerned about Emma.

"So what can you tell us about this thing?" Emma sat beside Regina, the brunette's lips curved into a smile as she looked at Drizella who also slide into the same booth as them. 

"You already know how they started, but you don't know how to stop them. Right now, there are alot of them out there and very few of us out there. When we came here, we had already dealt with them. Some of them have already changed or mutated into something far worse that what they already are. You are not only dealing with magically risen beings but also the ones who have gotten infected that have nothing to do with magic. My sister and I past through a city that had a testing facility. The human do have a very sick mind. We had snuck into the facility and saw that they were conducting experiments on the dead and living." Drizella's tone and her expression showed Emma the woman had seen a lot more than she was explaining. 

Clearly whatever horrible things that were going outside the line was far worse than what Gold and Gothel had unleashed. 

Now they were going have to deal with something far worse than the dead. They were going to have to deal with post-Apocalyptic Zombie crazed humans.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was having writer's block, I specially want to thank AnnaUy for your questions that made me think. Your a true inspiration!

Emma had woken up early the next day, she needed to gather everything they would require and they needed to leave immediately. Snow was already preparing breakfast when Emma entered the tiny apartment kitchen. 

"Morning sweetheart" she looked at her daughter's ruffled hair it looked like she hadn't got any sleep last night. "Rough night?" Emma had been tossing around the whole night after thinking about what Drizella had told them. 

"Where's Regina?" she hadn't see the brunette, she was usually up before anyone. 

"She is in the living room, using her magic to get her body to move" Emma made her way to the living room and watched the brunette try and move her hands and legs. 

She struggled and Emma saw beads of sweat form on her forehead. Regina's hand shook uncontrollably as she tried to make it move. Emma walked in front of her and took her hands in her's. 

"I'll make you walk again" Emma placed her hands on Regina and nodded as the brunette opened her magic for Emma. Emma's hands began to glow and once again Regina saw that it was not white but lavender magic that entered her. 

“Emma stop” Emma stopped but didn’t make eye contact with the her. She knew what Regina was going to ask and she was in no way ready to answer her. Especially after that note Robin sent. 

“Emma, why is your magic lavender?” There was no answer from Emma, instead she quickly changed the subject

“Regina, its important to get you walking so we can get to Robin okay, we will figure out the color later” Emma hoped that she wouldn’t push for an answer. Looked like the mention of Robin made Regina focus back on getting better. Emma wanted to go to the other side before but now it was just a burden. 

Since they were safe here in StoryBrook, maybe there was no need for her to go out there. Maybe its better for all of them to just stay here safe. She worked with Regina for the next hour. The brunette could now walk and move by herself still not steady as she would require somemore of Emma’s magic but good for now. But Emma still kept a close eye on her. She knew there was healing but she just wanted to make sure that she was perfectly fine and safe. Regina felt it was best for her to go back to her home as it would be a lot more comfortable and more so she didn’t want to overstay at Snow’s. Most of all she wanted to get home to check on the change in her magic strain when it was mixed with Emma’s. She had never seen this happen before. Was her magic turning light? She decided to talk to the Charming’s after dinner tonight. 

Snow was busy preparing dinner and was deep in thought if she should tell Regina about Emma being her true love. She absentmindedly rewashed the same plate twice until she felt a hand on her’s. She looked up to stare into concerned green eyes. 

“Emma sweetheart, I didn’t hear you come in” she gave her daughter a weak smile.

“Mom, I know what you are thinking, but I’m asking you not to say anything. Ever since Regina woke up you want to tell her, but its not the right time because her heart is still with Robin” Emma leaned against the counter, she knew that what she said was true. Regina was still in love with Robin. Telling her this new finding would confuse her.

“Mom, I want her to love me even without knowing about the true love finding. She had always had her freedom of choice taken away from her when it came to love. Can you please keep this a secret?” Emma eyes pleaded with her mother who had no other option but to give into her daughter’s request. She didn’t want to ruin it this time and she wanted everything to work out for Emma and especially Regina. This was the happiness she truly deserved and looked for so badly.

“Well, dinner will be ready in abit, your father won’t be joining us as she is still at the station with Ruby. They are doing an inventory check to make sure we have everything we need when we cross over.” Snow started to set the table. 

“I could have done that” Emma retorted 

“I know sweetheart, but your father wanted you to spend time with Regina and hope that you would tell her-“ Snow stopped as Regina entered the kitchen frowning at the two Charming’s. 

“Tell me what?” Regina’s eyes shifted from Snow to Emma waiting for one of them to answer her

“To tell you about-“ Snow started but Emma knew her mother wouldn’t know what to say

“About the next phase of getting Robin, and how we would go about it” Emma quickly intervened. Every time she mentioned Robin, it hurt her even more, that she was sacrificing her true love for a man who wasn’t.

“Okay, we can discuss it over dinner. Won’t David be joining us?” Regina sat down waiting for the other two to sit. 

“I’m going to call Henry and then we can start” Snow walked out of the room leaving Emma alone with Regina. Emma took the seat beside the brunette. She watched Regina distractedly play with the fork. Something she had never seen her do. 

“Emma, what are you hiding from me?” She suddenly blurted catching the blonde off guard as she started into the now narrowed eyes of the mayor. Emma stared at her trying very hard not to say anything.

“There are things we need to discuss.” She said quietly

“as in?”

“Like you need to know who put you in the hospital, why and what we are going to do about them.” Emma heard Snow and Henry’s voice and decided to drop it for now, Regina follow suit because they didn’t want to be hounded with Henry’s question blast.

“Let’s eat” Snow declared as she lay the last of the dinner on the table. 

Everyone ate quietly; Henry found it strange because usually there was always some form of friendly banter between his mothers’. Somehow today seemed different. He watched his adoptive mother steal glances at his other mother, while his birth mother avoid total eye contact. He knew there was a lot of tension off late after they found the note from Robin. He saw what happened between his mother’s at the hospital. He still didn’t understand why Emma was not telling Regina and she made sure no one else told her either. What was she trying to do? 

“Anyone for seconds, if not I’ll clear the table and you all can start your dessert” Snow chimed know the silence in the room was so thick she could cut it with a knife.

“No thank you Snow, however I would like to make an announcement. I was hoping David would be here as well, but I understand the current situations that plague the world takes precedence over dinner. I would like to thank you all for looking after and caring for me these past few days.” She looked at Emma and smiled 

“I would especially like to thank you for helping me heal and for bringing me the good news that Robin was alive. It now gives me more motivation to get out there and bring him back home with Roland” Emma forced a smile trying hard to fight her feelings every time Robin was mentioned. Regina continued

“I will be moving back to my home tonight” she looked at her son “ Henry you are more than welcome to stay at Snow’s if you want” she held her son’s hand and gently squeezed it. Emma watch the interaction between the two and she noticed Henry looking to her waiting for some sign as to what he needed to do. Emma nodded.

“Mom, I would love to come go back home with you. I have stayed at grandma’s for abit and I’ve missed you. Is it alright with you?” he said hoping his mother would agree.

“Of course my prince, it’s your home too. You don’t need to ask me when you want to return back” she kissed his hand. He grinned at her and looked at Emma knowing well that she wanted to discuss something with him before they left. 

Regina offered to help Snow clean up, Emma took this opportunity to take Henry aside and tell him what he needed to do.

“I need you to be strong Henry, I need you to keep what you saw in the hospital a secret until Regina is ready. Right now her heart is set on finding Robin and I don’t want her to change that just because we found out I’m her true love.” 

“But Ma, mom will understand she is not foolish. I’m sure she had already felt the change in your magic when mingled with hers plus not to mention the change in the color. She is going to want to investigate the changes” 

Henry knew how Regina was. He knew her well because he had seen how is mother was and how she always was after the truth behind anything that was different or changed in Storybrook and its people.

“That’s where you come in Henry, I need you to keep her busy from thinking about it and keep her focused on Robin. I will be talking to her about what we need to do with Gold and Gothel. Can I trust you with this mission?” Emma raised her eyebrows at her son, who pursed his lips and sighed before he shook his head in agreement with his mother.

“Fine ma, but see that you do this quick, I might just burst if Robin kisses her” Henry hugged Emma who smiled weakly hoping Regina wouldn’t kiss Robin, at least not in front of her, it would kill her.

Regina had already had her bag packed; Henry darted up the stairs to get his bag ready leaving Regina and Emma. 

“You wanted to talk to me after dinner?” Regina looked questioningly at the blonde, who took a deep breath and motioned towards the living room. Regina perched at the edge of the sofa while Emma sat opposite her on a single seater.

“So what is it?” she asked again, the delay was making her impatient. 

“When you were attacked did you see who attacked you?” Emma questioned her before she told her who was behind it.

“I don’t really remember, everything happened so quickly. I remember it was dark and someone or something was holding me down ripping my clothes” she thought back to that night.

“What else do you remember?” Emma pressed on

“I remember fighting back and then something hit me in my head, I don’t remember anything after that. Did something happen to me? Was I-?” she stopped looking at Emma wide-eyed, Emma immediately knew what she was thinking

“No! you weren’t. The people who attacked you were Gold and Gothel” Emma knew Regina would probably burn the two right now

“Gothel!? How did she get in here?” Regina knew the woman was bad news in every way and she was out to get her in the Enchanted Forest and now how did she get here. Gold definitely had a hand in bringing her here.

“What is this connection with you and Gothel, the woman was after your heart” Emma needed answers

“Gothel wanted me to cast the final curse. I refused. I guess this is her way of getting back at me” Regina shook her head thinking back to when Hook, Zelena and she tangled with the crazy nymph. 

“They are the ones who started all this mess. So what do you want to do about them?” Emma asked know Regina would definitely want to have a talk with the two. 

“You and I are going to have a talk with them right now” Regina raised her hand and teleported Emma and herself to Gold’s shop. 

“Hello Rumple, long time no see” she strode over to the counter looking at the man. She smiled at him “I do know about your dirty little deeds with Gothel, now its time for some punishment, don’t you think” She raised her hand

“Well dearie your fireball-“ he gasped when Regina grabbed his hand and put a magic binding cuff on it.

“Now this one, I made it especially for you. No one but the saviour and I can take it off your wrist. Where is Gothel?” she looked around the shop and saw a old looking wooden tree stump. 

“Come out Nymph, your turn.” In a flash Regina was by the tree stump. 

Emma looked shocked. 

“How the hell did she do that?” She watched as Regina shot a fireball at the tree that turned into Gothel trying to put the flame out. 

Regina grabbed the woman’s hand and cuffed her. Gothel gasped trying to get it off her wrist. 

“Don’t bother it’s not coming off anytime soon” Regina walked back to a stunned Gold and Emma.

“Now, Gold this isn’t your only punishment, leaving you in cell is of no use. Having your magic trapped is more fun don’t you think.” She looked at Emma who was confused, who was this woman before her. 

“Regina, you are not yourself” Gold watched the former Evil Queen pace his shop watching him closely. 

“Now tell me imp, how do you stop this mess you created?” she looked threateningly at Rumple.

“There is nothing we can do about it. We thought we could control it if we had your heart. But we failed to get it both times thanks to the Saviour here” Gothel motioned her head to Emma. 

Regina frowned, had Emma left out details, she was going have to get all the information later. Right now, she felt the need to rip the heads off these two. Why was she feeling so much rage towards them? Was it because they put Robin in danger? She turned around and walked towards Emma as she pushed her hand into her chest and her eyes widened. Her heart was gone! She looked at the two and then at Emma.

“It’s safe” Emma replied instantly as if knowing what she was thinking. 

“Now Gothel, you and Gold will be spending the rest of the time we are away, helping the town get back together and finding a cure” Regina waited for the two to protest but all she got was silence

“Very good, I'm glad we are in agreement. Do not disappoint me when I get back” she turned around and grabbed Emma by her waist and teleported them back to Snow’s apartment. Almost instantly, she collapsed on the sofa. 

“Regina!” Emma kept tapping her face. Emma didn’t know who she saw in Gold’s shop or where Regina got that new power of speed. She even felt a change when Regina grabbed her by the waist. What was going on? Did her magic change Regina in someway? She needed to talk to someone about it, but who? 

“Emma what happened?!” Snow knelt down beside the sofa as she gently touched Regina’s face.

“Ma?” Henry touched Emma’s arm who looked at her son with a new found confusion

“What happened to mom? Where did you guys go?”

“We went to Gold’s but something strange happened there. I don’t know whether it has anything to do with me taking Regina’s heart, or using my magic on her. But she has a new ability now which increases her speed.” Emma sat back on the living room floor. She kept thinking to what could have caused it. 

“Ma, do you think it has anything to do with the magic mixing. Whale did say that you needed to help her with expunging the magic she was hit with. Could that have altered it?” Henry tried formulating every theory in his head. Emma knew Henry could be right.

“We need to talk to Blue” Snow got up but Emma held her hand

“Mom, I don’t think Regina would want Blue here or anywhere near her. What about Tinkerbell?”

“We could try Tinkerbell, but Blue has to know about this for safety sake” Emma knew she had to give in. Right now she needed to know what happened and why. 

She called the Tinkerbell who was there in a couple of minutes. She saw the mayor now kept comfortably on Emma’s bed as Snow gently dabbed her forehead with a cold cloth.

“Emma” Tinkerbell said softly to alert them of her presence. 

“Tinkerbell, can you please help us with Regina?” Emma explained to the green fairy of everything that had taken place till they go back home.

“Wow, so you’re her true love. Well, I guess the pixie dust was wrong so many years ago” 

Emma looked at her sleeping love. She was scared, scared that Regina would die, scared that Regina might reject her, scared that Regina was changing.

“You did say Regina was hit by magic and moreover we are not talking about any kind of dark magic. Gothel though a tree nymph is very apt in the art of blood magic.She had always been a cunning one. I am sure a sacrifice was made in order for her to use shadow magic. After the deed is done by the imprisoned spirit, their body is burned for them to pass over.” A gasp ensued the information just given to them.

“So Regina is possessed?” Snow asked wide-eyed as she stopped touching the mayor. 

“No she’s not” Emma made a face at Snow. Snow just shrugged and gave her an apologetic look.

“Emma you told me that she was hit by magic during her attack and that she received magic from you for healing as well. The blood magic has begun to mutate in Regina’s magic strain, so we don’t know what new powers she will have when she wakes up nor do we know how it will effect her current magic. All we can do it wait and see” 

Tink moved her hands over the sleeping mayor, there was definitely a change in her magic signature. It made Tink excited to see what it would bring but she had also seen what mutation of magic can do. 

“Tink, we don’t have that kind of time, we are planning to cross the line because Regina wants to find Robin and bring him back here.” Tink frowned and tilted her head looking at Emma like she must have dropped her marbles somewhere.

“Robin? Whatever for, you’re her true love why does she need him?” she questioned Emma, who took in a sharp breath. Right now the atmosphere in Snow’s tiny apartment was turning to be scarier than the outside. 

“I haven’t told her” 

“Why not? Emma she” 

“I will eventually but I’m going to let her choose.” Emma said thinking all the while “I pray you choose me Regina” 

“So that’s that then, when are we leaving, I’m coming with you all to keep an eye on Regina. I know her magic won’t work out there unless she wears the necklace. Again since its mutating inside her we don’t know how its going to effect her so I’m coming for safety” Tink decided before anyone can protest. 

She did have a strong argument, Emma wanted Regina safe at all times. She gave in and told Tink to meet them at the line at sunrise. 

“Mom, Please can you and Henry stay with Regina, I need to meet the other’s at the diner and we need to check that everything is in order for tomorrow morning” Snow held Emma’s hand and gave her daughter a gently squeeze. 

Emma headed out, she had so much on her mind right now, she needed to have a clear mind while dealing with this. Regina’s magic, her choice of love, her reactions, her health. Everything weighed heavy. Emma was so deep in thought she didn’t watch where she was going. She felt a hand grab her shoulder. She spun around to see Hook. He looked rather strange

“Swan” his words were barely audible, eyes were red rimmed and sunken. His fingers were bony and skin looked leathery.

Emma pushed him off her and distanced herself from him. Could he have caught what the others had? Was he turning into one of them

“What do you want Killian? Haven’t you caused enough trouble already” She kept back towards the path to the diner hoping someone would look out and come and help her.

“Swan, I need to tell you something” he kept at her

“Stand right there and tell me what you need to” She raised her hand signalling him to stop.

“Okay” he stopped advancing towards her. “The stone that I got for Gold, it had a drawback, anyone who touches it will get sick” Emma’s eyes widened

“Sick how?” she pressed him for details

“Gold didn’t tell me Swan” he cried as he held his forehead. “The sacrifice” 

“Sacrifice? Killian damnit, you’re not making sense”

“In order to get the stone, it needed a sacrifice. The life force of someone. The first person who touched the stone with magic would be the sacrifice” 

“You’re the sacrifice!?” Emma wanted to move closer but she knew it would be dangerous

“Gold tricked me Swan, the pouch he gave me was enchanted. Now the stone is draining my life” he broke down. Emma felt sorry for him, but she knew that Hook should have someone before dealing with the likes of Gold.

“Killian, we don’t know how to stop this. All I can do is preserve your heart. But I don’t know If that would help” 

Emma felt helpless, she was the saviour and she needed to help everyone. Regina was in no state to help and Emma didn’t tell her of Hook’s involvement, maybe if she tried taking his heart, she could preserve it. 

“Killian, I am going to try and save your heart, but I cannot promise you anything” Killian opened his vest

“Take it Swan, I am willing to try anything.” 

Emma let her magic flow to her hand and looked at Killian as she placed one hand on his shoulder, she plunged her hand into his chest as she felt his body jerk at the first. She cradled the pirates heart in her hand as she withdrew it from his chest. She gasped when she saw that part of his heart was starting to turn grey. She needed to make a preservation spell and hope it would keep it safe. 

She left Killian and teleported to Regina’s vault. She knew there was a protection spell and Regina had made it so only she and Emma could enter. Going to the lower level of the vault, Emma looked for Regina’s spell book on preservation spells. She placed the heart on the pedestal and began chanting the first one. 

After 30 minutes of trying and not getting anywhere, Emma was about to give up, when she heard a voice in her heart tell her it was on the last page of the book. As she opened the page, the writing almost jumped at her and glowed. She began to chant the spell and the heart started to glow. It then turned into a bright gold and then went back to red. Emma held the heart in her hand. Was it preserved? Would this help? Just for safety she put a protection spell on it, before placing it in one of the heart drawers that Regina used to keep all heart. 

She then teleported herself back to the diner. Before she entered she looked around to see if there was any signs of Killian. When she didn’t find any she entered. Everyone where there. The dwarfs, Archie, Whale, David, Drizella, her sister was not around, Blue and Tinkerbell . Ruby and Granny where behind the counter serving up drinks and food. Emma walked in all eyes on her waiting.

“Thank you all for coming here. I know most of you are wondering where Regina and Snow are. Regina need to rest and Snow is caring for her” Emma didn’t feel it right to alarm them with Regina’s magic mutation. 

“So how do we start ?” asked Leroy

“Tomorrow morning at Sunrise the chosen ones will leave the town line. The rest of you will stay back and find a cure for this and a way to stop the stone that Gold and Gothel have activated.” Blue as usual had no emotion on her face, but Emma knew the woman had questions which she would answer as soon as she was done. 

“Leroy and the rest I ask that you all stay here in Storybrook and ensure Gold and Gothel never leave or cause issues” 

“David, Ruby, Drizella, Tinkerbell, Regina, Snow and Whale will be going with me as the search party for Robin” Emma waited for their confirmation and they all gave her a positive nod.

“My sister will stay back and help here. I don’t want to subject her to what is outside again” said the French heiress.

“That is perfectly fine. Archie and Granny will be here as well. Granny please keep an eye on Henry. I know he will try to leave every chance he gets”

“Leave the lad to me” 

“So everyone clear?” 

“YES!” they shouted in unison. 

Emma made her way to Blue

“Blue you have some questions?” she said knowingly 

“That I do, Saviour. First of all shouldn’t Gold and Gothel be in prison? Secondly, the stone you speak of who has it? Third, how can the fairies help more?”

“Gold and Gothel have magic cuffs that can only be taken off by Regina or me. The stone is in my possession and yes anything extra you can do to help will be appreciated” Emma never liked talking to Blue something about the woman made her skin crawl and also the fact she was always at Regina's throat not letting go of the Evil Queen crap. 

“Very well then. Let’s begin the next phase. I wish you luck saviour. May your treacherous mission be successful” she turned on her heels and headed to the far end of the diner where several other fairies stood as she began talking to them they looked at Emma and quickly back to Blue.

“So you all set?” Tink was right beside her.

“Yes, for biggest journey of my life” Emma shut her eyes tight and hoped tomorrow morning would bring new hope.


	14. Chapter 14

The morning came too soon. Regina woke up her head pounding. She tried hard to recall what had happened the previous night. She picked up the glass of water that was on the nightstand. Gulping down the cool liquid, the last think she remembered was talking to Emma in the living room. She looked around the tiny apartment room. She had made up her mind to leave to her home with Henry last night so why was she still here? And where was Emma?. Her eyes grew wide when she realized the apartment was quiet. The eerie silence was deafening. Did they leave her behind? Or worse did something happen to them when she was asleep? Henry! She stood up wobbling on her feet as she reached to the bed for support.

“Henry! EMMA!!” she kept calling as her voice got louder. 

Emma stood on her balcony watching the morning mist cover the whole of StoryBrook. The air was cold yet refreshing in someway. Her eyes were sleepless and her nerves were on high. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins or was it just the coffee she had been chugging the night through. Emma hadn’t slept at all. Everything about the previous night kept hounding her. She felt butterflies in her stomach and she felt her gut clench as she didn’t know what would happen the second they lay foot across the line. Regina’s magic was unstable and to ask her to put a memory spell on everyone would be dangerous knowing all to well that the mutation in the magic could mean something else for magic bearers. She sipped her last cup of coffee, they need to get going

“Henry! EMMA!!” she heard the desperate call of the mayor from inside as she rushed to the balcony door that separated her from Regina.

Regina looked at the balcony door as it slide open and Emma stumble in. The blonde quickly stood up looking around the room, and found Regina leaning against the bed frame for support. The mayor looked worried 

“Emma” she breath a sigh of relief when she saw the blonde knowing that she wasn’t abandoned. 

“Regina, I’m sorry, you were asleep. Henry is fine, he’s out with Snow. They have gone to Granny’s to get breakfast and food supplies before we leave” Emma held her hand and led her to the bed. 

“I hope you don’t plan on taking Henry with us. I will not subject our son to the horrors out there. We will go quick and come back” Regina looked at Emma who just nodded

“I will never put our son nor you in danger Regina” 

“Ms.Swan, you don’t have to protect me, I’m quite capable for looking after myself” Regina said confidently. Emma watched as her face changed and her lip began to quiver. 

“What’s wrong?” she touch Regina’s arm gently. Regina looked desperately for something. 

“What are you looking for?” 

“Bin-Waste “ Emma quickly grabbed the bin from the side of the nightstand. 

Regina snatched it from her and buried her head in it as she retched. Emma couldn’t help but feel sorry for the woman she had been through so much these past few weeks. 

After a good few minutes, the mayor’s head emerged again. Now clearly embarrassed that she made a spectacle of herself in front of Emma. Emma however didn’t seemed phased by what had just happened. She instead handed her tissues to wipe her mouth as she took hold of the bin

“Ms.Swan, I’m quite cap-“ Emma just gave her a raised eyebrow and the brunette let go of the bin. 

“We will leave in an hour so if there is anything you want to get from your place, let me know and we can go together” Emma headed down the stairs to get rid of the contents in the bin. 

Why would Regina get sick? Did she catch something or was her magic mutation causing the issue? She would need to talk to Tinkerbell about this. 

“Regina before we leave the remaining town folk, who are infected”

“ Sleeping spell until we figure out a way to combat it. Let Whale make sure they are kept frozen in the morgue till we get back. The ones we can’t save will just have to be casualties of this situation” Regina picked up her jacket, but Emma’s face told her there were other things the blonde hadn’t told her.

“Ms.Swan, if you want me to trust you, I expect you to be honest with me” Emma knew that she was going to have to be honest now because they were going out into the world that was infested with zombies and trust was of utmost importance here. 

“Hook”

“What about him?” Regina raised an eyebrow at Emma

“He was the one that brought the stone to StoryBrook for Gold” If Regina was angry right now Emma could clearly not see it on the woman’s face.

“Where is he now?” Emma remembered what happened the last time in Gold’s shop

“I don’t know.” She said with out making eye contact with Regina who in a second was in her face

“Ms.Swan I know you love the pirate and all, but he not only created this issue but also didn’t bother to help us sort it out. Where is he?” 

“I don’t love him! Gold fooled him into activating the stone that required a sacrifice. They used blood magic on the pouch and Hook was in contact with it.”

“So he is dying” the smile on Regina’s face made Emma very uncomfortable. There was something about her that had changed. 

“He won’t die because I have taken his heart out and used a preservation spell”

“Where is his heart?” 

“Safe, Regina just leave it.” Emma knew the old Regina wouldn’t crush Hook’s heart but the woman standing in front of her was turning unpredictable. 

“Then can I have my heart back, because I am starting to feel rather emotionless towards anyone and anything” Emma nodded her head she promised to give her heart as soon as they finished with everything else. 

“How did Drizella and her sister get in here?” Regina asked Emma. 

“Apparently Hook wasn’t the only one sent to retrieve the stone” Emma found that out from Drizella, that Gothel had sent the sisters out the day they arrived with Emma and Marion through the portal. 

“So this scheme has been going on for the past couple of months right under our noses. The sooner we get out and get Robin back the faster we can sort this mess out” Emma held Regian’s hand and the Mayor looked at her waiting for her to say something. Emma opened her mouth but shut it again

“You are right let’s get going” 

Outside Snow and the Blue fairy were in deep discussion as the two ladies emerged from the apartment building. Regina stopped as she watch the Blue fairy stare her down and then smirk at her. Why was she smirking at her what was the woman planning? Emma placed a gentle hand on Regina’s shoulder as she knew what the Mayor was thinking. 

“We need to go” she reminded her, but for Regina the smirk was not sitting well. 

She could go and attack the insect but that would only cause more issues. She gave into Emma’s touch which somehow seemed to calm her. Another thing that kept bothering her was her sudden need to be around Emma all the time and protect her. 

They stopped at the mansion while Regina went upstairs to collect what she needed for their journey. Emma strolled around the house. She had been here a thousand times before yet it felt always new to her. She stopped at Regina’s desk, there were pictures of Henry and Regina since he was little. Emma smiled how destiny brought her home and to her true love. Her eyes stopped at the frame at the end of the desk. It was a picture of Robin with his arms wrapped protectively around Regina as he kissed her temple. For Emma this made her heartbeat rapidly. The very thought of Robin made her heartbeat fast. She didn’t hate the man nor did she despise him. She wanted him to return home safe with Roland. But it was a fear of Regina rejecting her and choosing him that made her want him not found. Then her conscious, would appease her by telling her to give Regina the choice and let her choose, because true love always wins. But what true love didn’t tell you was there is always thorns along the path and sometimes it ends in loss. 

“Ready?” Emma was startled at the voice of the brunette. 

She was now dressed in a pair of black jeans, a black sleeveless tank top with a black jeans jacket. A purple bandana worn as a scarf around her neck. Her grey combat boots we just below her knees. She had a rugsack held over her shoulder. Emma had never seen Regina dressed this way. The woman looked ready to kill zombies. 

“Ye-yeah, we will meet the other’s at the line. They have all our weapons since magic will be limited or useless out there” Regina dropped her bag and walked over to Emma. 

Ever since her accident Emma wasn’t herself. She walked close to the blonde just as she did when they were at the mines rescuing Henry and Archie. She looked into Emma’s eyes. 

“Emma” she said in a soft voice “ What’s going on with you?” Emma quickly averted her eyes

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Regina. I’ve just had a lot on my mind” she gently pushed Regina out of the way, if she stood there any longer she might just kiss the woman. 

“Emma wait!” Regina gripped her arm and spun her around.

“Here” she produced a necklace just like her’s. 

“ To preserve our memories” she put it on Emma. 

Emma produced a wooden box. Regina recognised it. She opened it and took her heart out, gently placing it against her chest she pushed it in as it went to its place. She smiled in relief to feel her heart back in and her emotions now taking over her body. 

She had more of the necklaces for the other’s because she didn’t know how long they would be outside and when they were going to get back in. What she did know was she was coming back with Robin and they would be happy again. She smiled to herself thinking of her and Robin together again. She picked her bag up smiling as she walked to the front door. 

The other’s waited for them at the line. The were all dressed in protective gear that David probably whipped up from the armoury of the sheriff’s station. But what caught Emma’s eye was the monstrous black SUVs. Which was fully armoured and loaded with weapons and guns it looked like it was made just for the apocalypse.

“A gift from the Fiona, I presume” Regina recognised the vehicles from their colour

“Yes and totally souped up by me” Ruby said proudly looking at the beast before her. There was a large wolf painted on the side of the doors.

“I didn’t know you could soup up things” Emma was shocked Ruby was full of surprises. 

“Well these past couple of day’s I've been busy with this. So are we ready?” Ruby was all excited, the thrill of going out in to a live or die world got her adrenaline running on high.

“Yes, but Regina is going to first make sure none if us lose our memories” Emma turned to Regina who started handing out necklaces to everyone. Each of them held a bit of magic in them. 

Once everyone was ready they got into the SUV and Ruby revved up the engine. Taking a deep breath the big monster moved forwards as it pushed passed the barrier towards into the horde of the dead. The occupants watched as the dead quickly surrounded their vehicle. The scratching of the nails against the metal and low groans. Emma urged Ruby to drive slowly. She knew they couldn’t drive into the forest that surrounded them as the tree growth around was too thick. David and Snow readied their weapons waiting for something to come bursting through the windows. The horde that surrounded them seemed slow and some didn’t seemed to be bothered with them. 

“Regina, did you notice” Regina was watching quietly all this time now spoke up

“Yes, the ones staring ahead at the line are the ones that follow the stone. They know about the stone in StoryBrook.” Regina bent down slightly to see further down the road as she heard the crunching of bone and flesh against the tires. 

“No, the stone is here with me” Emma produced the stone to show Regina who was looked at the blue shiny diamond. 

“Emma, but there is no magic here, how is the stone still activated” Emma pointed out to their necklaces. Regina let out a frustrated sigh. She knew if they took it off then all their memories would fade.

As they inched forward the horde started to thin out. They needed to reach a point where they could go on foot as they would now need to look around to find Robin. They didn’t know how long ago the note had been sent or for that matter if he was alive. But Emma knew that Regina wanted to find him and she needed to be there for her.

Ruby watched as the dead surrounded them, if she kept up this pace they were not going to get much further. She gently pressed down on the accelerator, not wanting any sudden movements to cause the engine to rev up too much and bring the whole horde crashing down on them. The SUV pushed further like a ship in a sea of bodies. Then she heard it. The sound that would make anyone in their situation dread. The exhaust struggling. She looked in the review mirror and caught Emma looking back. She heard it too, but didn’t want to alert the others. She leaned in on the driver’s side, earshot of everyone except Ruby.

“It’s okay we just need to make it to there” She pointed to the spot where the dead were barely around. 

“I think all of them on the SUV is causing it to slow down, I don’t want to turn off the engine for fear of it not starting again” Ruby said quietly not turning her head or showing any signs of distress.

“Okay, Then go slow, I know you want to get out as fast as possible but we need to take in the fact that if this breaks down, none of us are getting past this horde” Emma leaned back and Regina and Snow were looking at her

“What?” she asked

“Is there something you and Ms.Lucas would like to say?”

“Nope nothing” Emma went back to polishing and checking her weapons as Ruby kept on. 

Outside the sky started to look different, it was smoky, grey and sinister. There was lite specks of dust falling everywhere. After what seemed forever, the SUV finally made it past the horde and was speeding away towards the forest area. Everyone kept their eyes outside hoping to find some signs of Robin and Roland being there. All they were met by was trees, mud and remnants of dead people or animals that were feasted upon. 

“We need to stop at a point or find some form of shelter before we proceed. We need to make that our base while we search this area” The other’s nodded in agreement. They didn’t need to be out without safety.

“I do remember a cabin up ahead. It has a good source of water. Maybe we can go there and reinforce it?” Regina said remembering the time Robin wanted to show her the forest life and she choose to stay in the cabin while Robin and Roland camped outside under the stars. 

“Alright then we go there and set up camp. Ruby follow the stream” Emma pointed to the water that was flowing down towards a river. 

By late afternoon, the group found the cabin. David, Emma and Ruby went to work on setting parameters and defences. Snow, Regina and Tinkerbell set out to collecting wood and getting dinner ready. Drizella worked on marking the map as to the possible locations for Robin to be. Whale decided to set up a medi unit so that they all had access to medical help should they require it. 

“Snow, do you think we can be abit more quieter when collecting wood. You do realize we are in the midst of a living dead situation” Regina bent down to pick up some stray sticks that were just below an old tree that looked dead.

“Regina, I am as quiet as I can be. Be happy I’m not singing” Snow snarled back.

“Will both of you be quiet and get on with it, I don’t like being out here for too long. I feel like something is watching us from the trees” Tinkerbell looked into the fading light around them. 

The trees looked a lot more scarier than before and God knows she had seen scary in the Dark Forest. Regina straighten her back and looked around. Something was watching them. She raised her hand at the other two women who stopped and looked around.

“I think we better head back” for once they all agreed. Good thing they weren’t too far away from the cabin. 

When they came rushing back in, all three women pushed their way through the door causing Regina to trip on a loose end of the carpet landing straight into Emma’s lap. Emma wrapped her arms around Regina protectively to prevent her from hurting herself. Regina gasped when she felt the blonde’s arms around her. Emma quickly withdrew her arms. 

“Um, sorry” she said as she gently helped Regina off her lap. “Why did you guys come bounding in like that?” Emma frowned at her mother and the fairy

“There was something watching us” Snow said immediately

“Something watching you? Like what?” Emma looked at her mother and knew that nothing spooked her mom, so why this go around.

“It was strange, we could feel the thing watching us. It made our skin crawl like we were bring hunted” Tinkerbell said as she rubbed her arms to keep down the eerie feeling that brought goosebumps.

“I’m going to check it out” Emma grabbed her gun and holstered it. “ It’s too close to that cabin” She felt a hand stop her. She turned to see Regina moving her head side to side in a ‘No’

“I don’t want you going out there at this hour” Emma’s eye’s soften, she knew she needed to keep them safe but she also knew Regina was feeling unexplainable feelings to protect Emma. 

“I promise I won’t be long. If it make’s you feel better, I’ll take David or Ruby with me” Emma touched the Mayor’s hand and she felt the instant connection that she missed so much. 

Regina on the other hand pulled her hand away still confused with the effect a touch from Emma had on her.

Emma walked out and met Ruby, she explained to her what the ladies encountered. Ruby nodded. Grabbing her gun she followed Emma. The rest watched the two disappeared in to the darkness that now surrounded the little cabin. Snow and Regina began dinner, but both women were worried sick for Emma and Ruby. 

“I wish we didn’t tell her” Regina blurted out.

“Well, if you hadn’t tripped on the rug she wouldn’t have known” Snow said as she sliced some onions.

“Really? You are going to blame me for this, while you and the fairy pushed me through the door like a bunch of rampaging elephants” Regina was pissed at Snow blaming her.

“And why didn’t you stop her? At least I did” Regina continued. Snow put down the knife and turned to face her.

“Well, you needed to stop her because she is your-“ Snow stopped immediately. Regina looked at the woman. She knew something was up and Snow was never good at keeping secrets

“She is my what, Snow?” Regina circled the woman who kept tight-lipped now. Snow was hoping someone would walk in and divert this uncomfortable conversation. 

“She is your son’s other mother” came the reply from behind Regina. It was David. 

Snow let out a silent thank you for getting saved. Regina knew that was not the truth, but she also knew that she was not going to the truth from the Charming’s here. She decided to let it go for now and get on with the cooking. 

Emma and Ruby stood in the middle of the forest. Usually the night was filled with the sounds of crickets and other bugs. An occasional cry from an animal would tell you where you were. However, tonight they were greeted with absolute silence. Ruby looked at a tree and narrowed her eyes. Her wolf instinct was telling her that they needed to run. She touched Emma’s arm as she pointed to the tree trunk. Emma walked towards it and Ruby followed. Ruby shone a light on it. Both women gasped.

“What is taking them so long?” Regina paced around, watching the front door waiting for Emma and Ruby to walk in. It had been over 2 hours and there was no sign of either of women. Did they get lost? Did they go further than they had to? 

“Regina calm down!” David was getting bothered by the woman’s pacing 

“Calm down? Calm down! How can you tell me to calm down. Your child is out there and you don’t seem to care” Regina couldn’t understand why her emotions were getting the better of her. But she started to feel dread and fear in large amounts set into her heart. 

“I also know that she and Ruby are the two most capable ladies to handle any situation” David assured Regina who seemed to be on edge. 

The brunette gave him one final look before taking a seat next to Tinkerbell who watched her and smirked. 

“What are you feeling Regina?” she asked curious to know what the woman really felt when she didn’t know Emma was her truelove

“What do you mean? Feel about what?” she looked at the fairy like she was nuts

“About the two being out there and not returning?” Tinkerbell pressed on. She knew Regina wouldn’t know what she was feeling was true love as she had never really felt it before. 

“I am worried. We have just started our search and I don’t need two of our group disappearing on the first night” Regina was clearly oblivious to why she felt the need to rush out the front door and save Emma and Ruby.

The front door burst open with Emma and Ruby breathing hard and sweating. Regina was the first to stand up and make her way to the duo. She looked at both the ladies. Ruby’s eyes were yellow clearly showing that she had her wolf abilities activated with the magic in the necklace.

“What the hell happened?” Regina asked her as she they struggled to catch their breath. 

Emma walked over to the water and started to chug it down. She handed it to Ruby after having her share.

“You were right, something was out there” Emma said finally after she caught her breath.


	15. Chapter 15

Night on the first day

The rain fell steadily on the roof of the cabin. Each drop like the ticking of the clock. Everyone sat up not one falling asleep. Emma sat by the door while Ruby sat on the other side . The other’s waited by the other area’s of entry and exit. Waiting and watching for the parameter alarms to ring. Regina came and sat next to Emma. Something in her kept making her need the blonde nearby. Earlier when Emma was out she felt unexplainable fear for Emma’s safety. She never felt that for Robin. Not even once. The little cabin was lit up with candles rather than light. There was no form of electricity and for once they were glad. It prevented them from attracting any attention from the dead that were walking around outside.

Emma touched Regina’s hand, right now she need the comfort of her love. She was running on adrenalin. The thing that Ruby and she saw behind the tree was far from alive. No wonder the women thought they were being watched. The creature must have been a predatory animal. But this thing moved so quick that Ruby had to lift Emma on her back and run while her wolf was still active. The worst part was the creature looked like a mix of two different things. Its skin was covered with wounds that smelt putrid. Chunks of fur still clung to certain parts of its body. It was missing all its skin from it face like it had been ripped off, only bulging eyes and sharp teeth smiled at Emma and Ruby when they first saw it. Below the creature was a corpse that still moved. This thing had developed a taste for the dead and it could be a good thing but it could also be a bad thing where it could infect the living. The sounds it made sent a shiver up Emma’s spine. Regina saw the blonde shudder and she placed a protective hand on Emma’s. 

“It’s going to be alright. We will find Robin and get back to Storybrook” Regina assured her. 

Emma looked at the brunette. Was that all she thought about? Robin! Emma quickly pulled her hand away from Regina. She looked shocked at Emma’s abrupt behaviour. 

“Yes, we will find Robin” Emma said mechanically. 

She stood up and walked into the kitchen. Emma’s behaviour had become disturbing for Regina to handle. She wanted to know what was going on and she wanted to know now. Following Emma into the kitchen, she cornered the blonde. She pushed Emma backwards into the counter and placed her arms on either side of her.

“Talk now! I want to know what the hell is going on with you” Regina looked into the troubled green eyes. 

“Nothing is troubling me Regina, I want to find Robin and get back home” Emma again avert her eyes at the mention of Robin’s name.

“I know about you being my-” Regina decided to play from what Snow had almost revealed earlier. The mention of the incomplete sentence made the blonde furrow her eyebrows questioningly at her. 

“You are my what?” Emma questioned her, knowing all too well that Regina didn’t have all the information to complete the sentence, but by God she was going to find out who slipped up. 

“Nothing. Emma, I am worried about you and the fact that you have changed since my attack” Regina moved aside letting Emma grab a cup to make some coco.

“I haven’t changed Regina, everything around me has changed, and I am trying my best to adapt to it. Before it was easier, I had no people that I loved involved. Now everyone that I love and call family are involved.” She turned around her eyes spoke volumes of pain. 

The darkness outside the cabin made the room look dark, as there was no moon to light up the room. Regina once again moved closer to Emma. Her body touching Emma’s in the dark. Emma felt her breath hitch when the brunette reached out to her and wrapped her in a hug. 

“We are all going to get through this and be back home in no time, we will be together” Regina whispered to her.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep” Emma whispered in a choked voice before pulling away from her and heading back to her spot by the door. 

Day 2

Regina was the first one to wake up and get ready. She had started breakfast for everyone and coffee. Today was the day they were going to go out there and bring back Robin and Roland. She was writing down the groups and plans. She definitely felt it was better if they formed groups to cover more ground. The morning light showed a totally different picture outside. The sunlight made it way, peeping through the trees as it lit up the wet earth around the cabin. The sound of the flowing water made it sounds so peaceful. But the lack of chirping from morning birds set a harsh reminder that everything was not fine. 

“Goodmorning” she spun around to find David standing at the kitchen door. 

“Goodmorning, Coffee?” she offered placing the freshly brewed pot before him

“Yes, Thank you” he poured himself a much needed cup and took in a deep breath of it before proceeding to sip it. 

The night watch had given him a stiff neck, not to mention the location by the window was not very warm in spite of the fire place. 

“Snow and the others up yet?” Regina enquired as she placed some cereal and toast on the island in the kitchen.

“No, though Emma and Ruby are not anywhere around. I think they have gone to do a check outside” he didn’t seemed to be bothered by them stepping out as he knew they were capable. However, Regina’s reaction was a far different one.

“Why!? She knew there are dangers out there. Why did they both go without anyone else?” Regina was beating herself for not noticing that the blonde and her friend were not by the door.

“Regina, its what we do in the mornings to check the parameter’s around to make sure nothing had breeched it” David informed her. 

“She could have waited. I am going to have a word with her when she gets back” Regina was not happy that Emma would leave without keeping her informed.

When they left StoryBrook, Regina had made clear that she was responsible for all of them and their safety. So why was Emma doing things without informing her about it. Was it so hard for the saviour to keep her in the loop. If this was Storybrook she would just storm out the front door and look for the two imbecils. However, given the situation, storming out would mean bringing trouble for the rest of the group. She decided to stay put and wait for their return.

The mud was wet and slippery, and the air was wet with a mixture of smells that was neither pleasing to the two ladies. The rain last night erased whatever footprint that were made last night. Although disappointed, Emma knew she and Ruby need to looked around and hopefully find some form of evidence that Robin was around here. They walked past the parameter and entered an area where the tree’s were a lot denser than the other locations. It was quiet other than the sounds of their boot squishing against the slick mud. The trees bore marks and blood stained drags across its wooden body. Ruby didn’t like the atmosphere. It was exactly what she had seen in a horror movie sometime ago. The thick woods, the ominous sky that presented another predicament of the possibility of rain. Here they couldn’t call out to Robin for fear of attracting unwanted dead. Emma hoped Robin as a forest guy would leave some clues for them to follow. 

“Emma!” she heard Ruby’s calling. 

Emma dashed in her friend’s direction until she reached a clearing. She looked around and that there was remnants of food, fire and makeshift beds. But what made Emma freeze was the blood that covered the beds. She kneeled down and looked at touched it. Some portions of the blood was dry, the part that Emma had on her fingers was sticky. Ruby looked at the sticky dark blood on Emma’s fingers. They peer through the trees and saw something move. Emma got her sword ready while Ruby got her gun ready. 

They walked cautiously to the rustling. Both women with their hands on their weapons. As they neared the sound something lunged at them. Emma swung her swords to the thing catching it mid air as she fell on her back. Blood from the dead animal sprayed across her face and chest. She was breathing hard. Ruby’s eyes widened when Emma didn’t move. She slide beside Emma who was still trying to get her bearings. Ruby helped her sit up. 

“What the hell was that?” Emma asked looking at the decapitated animal.

“Looks like a possum, an ugly one” Ruby made a disgusted face looking at the dead creature as it body still twitched. Emma quickly wiped off the blood from her face. 

The metallic smell was making her insides turn. 

As the two of them got back to their feet, they heard a scream coming from the direction they were headed too. They ran towards the sound, their feet sinking into the wet forest mud. The trees slapping their faces as they neared the desperate cries for help. They stopped dead in their tracks. There was a child in the tree and two dead eating someone on the ground. The dead ripped at the person’s gut, pulling it out like spaghetti, while the other one was munching on the head. Ripping away the skin, as it stuck its decaying tongue into the now empty eye socket of the woman. The low growls emitting from them made Emma move forwards to slice their head off, Ruby rushed to save the child, but an arrow whizzed past her piercing the creature in the head. The two turned around to find a red head with a bow and an arrow pointed at the two dead that were eating what was possibly the child’s mother. 

The arrows went and penetrated the first one’s skull shattering it as it slumped over. The other dead that was at the head of the woman now turned it head and rushed with speed towards the red head, let the arrow go. Emma and Ruby watch in horror at the speed the creature was running at . They wondered if the arrow would take down the creature before it attacked the woman. Then they heard the growl, and the crunch just as the dead was nearing her. It slide dead at her feet. The red head walked up to the tree and helped the child down. She looked at the two women. The child looked at them and smiled. 

“Thanks for coming but we were alright” she said in a Scottish accent. She took the child’s hand. 

“Who are you? And how do you know this child? And that” Emma pointed to the dead woman on the ground.

“Oh this little girl is Anna, I found her wandering around. She had lost her family so I took her. The woman there is bait.” Emma glared at the woman.

“What do you mean bait?” 

“Bait as in she was already dead fresh. I just used her corpse to lower in any dead around this area as I was planning on setting camp. Anna here was to make noise to see if any more would come out” the red head smirked at them.

“Why could that thing run so fast?” Emma pointed to the creature that resembled nothing of the usual dead she saw around. 

“Oh that, it’s a Sprinter. They have mutated. They move faster and track blood from miles away. They rely on their speed and they attacks can be lethal. So melee attacks are a no.” she pointed to the Sprinter’s hands. 

Emma could see that the thing’s hands were definitely mutated. It had bone sticking out from its knuckles that looked like serrated blades. Its eyes were not white like the other’s instead it was red and bloodshot. Its teeth weren’t like normal jaws. Instead it had a long tongue and its teeth were sharp and concentrated in the front like that of a wild cat. Emma shuddered looking at the thing, grateful it was dead.

“What about the others?” She needed to know more about them. It might ensure their survival in what was to come. 

“They are regular, slow thinking dead. They don’t really do anything other than look for food” the red head place her arrows back in the quiver and put her bow on the back.

“I’m Emma Swan, this is Ruby Lucas. You are?” 

“Merida and you know Anna. What are you two doing here in anyway?” 

“We are looking for a man and his son” 

“Well, I haven’t seen any in these woods. I’ve been here for , let me see” she pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as she mentally counted the days.

“2 weeks. Yes, 2 weeks” Emma felt her heart sink. 2 weeks in this world would be deadly for anyone. Especially with things like these running around. 

“Where are you from?” Emma asked Merida

“I’m from Scotland, and to be honest I don’t know how I got here. One minute I was riding and the next I was thrown off my horse and landed here” Emma looked at her. 

“Wait a minute, you’re telling me you came through a portal?” Ruby and Emma looked at each other.

“I think so, because this is definitely not Scotland”

“Maybe you two need to come back with us to the cabin” Ruby said knowing Regina would definitely want to know about this and also probably know what has been happening.

“A cabin sounds better than a wet forest floor, lead the way lass” 

They walked back all the while cautiously looking around for any more of the dead. When they finally saw the smoke of the cabin they were relieved as they hastened their steps towards it. Emma needed a shower right now or she could just wash up in the stream behind the cabin. She opened the door and saw Snow come to her. 

“EMMA!” 

That was enough to bring Regina charging into the living room from the back of the cabin. She stopped and looked the blonde over. The blood, her hair in a mess, covered in mud. She then saw the child hiding behind Emma and Merida step from behind her. Regina narrowed her eyes at the woman and looked back at Emma.

“Who is this?” She asked sternly.

“Merida, meet Regina Mills, Mayor of our town.” Emma moved aside “This is Anna” Regina’s eyes softened at the youngster. But only for a moment before she shifted it back to red head. 

“Where did you find her and the child?” Regina never trusted anyone on the first go. She always preferred to know more about them before she began to even talk to them. 

“Anna, do you want to go with Ruby and get something to eat?” Emma asked the little girl who quickly nodded. Snow and Ruby took the little girl. 

Emma asked Merida to sit while Regina preferred to stand as she kept her eye on the woman. Emma sat on the armrest of the other sofa. 

“Alright then, I want to know what made you and Ruby go out by yourselves? Whose blood is all over you? And are you bloody insane? Who is this woman and what is she and a child doing out in the middle of the forest?” The other decided to sit this one out by saying they would go and see if Snow and Ruby needed anything. 

Emma hated the tone Regina was taking with her. She was not a child. 

“Regina, there is no need for you to take that tone with me” Emma’s voice was cold towards her.

“What tone do you want me to take with you then Sherrif? A sweet loving one when you decided to endanger yourself as well as Ruby’s?” Regina was clearly angry and Emma remembered what Tinkerbell had told her about Regina’s magic mutating and unstable. 

“Your right, I wasn’t thinking. Now to answer your questions. We wanted to check the area we saw last night before we came back running. This blood on me is not mine. Its of an animal that decided to attack me. This is Merida, she is from Scotland. She was riding her horse and she landed here the next second” Regina stopped and looked at the woman.

“Do you mean to tell me she came through a portal?” Regina was aghast. 

“How did a portal open in a non magic zone.”

“I thought you would be best to ask. Seems like the magic is extending further past Storybrook’s line” Emma knew that it was not possible but in the past few weeks she had seen the impossible happen. 

“I think this is caused by Rumple and his damn accomplice. When he got the stone not only did it alter the environment but it also caused magic time holes that can open up anywhere other than StoryBrook” Regina was glaring at the table when Emma heard it crack and then all of sudden break into two. Merida jumped to her feet away from the table quickly raising her bow and arrow at Regina

“She’s a witch. What kind of trickery is this?” she asked Emma still keeping her bow on Regina.

“Wait, please she meant no harm. She is not a witch. She is just having some issues with her magic. She will never harm anyone” Emma raised her hands to calm the woman down.

“I don’t think she can be trusted.” Merida pulled back the arrow and let it fly towards Regina who swiftly caught it and broke it. Her eyes looked at Merida and Emma saw the same anger she had seen in Gold’s shop. 

Emma ran before Merida knowing well she wouldn’t be able to stop Regina. She held her arms out blocking Regina from making contact with Merida. The other watched in horror as Regina flicked her wrist and sent Emma flying across the room. She caught hold of the red head by the neck as she raised her off the ground. 

“You dare shoot an arrow at me peasant!” she growled as she started to squeeze the woman’s neck. 

“REGINA STOP!” 

Emma got to her feet and grabbed Regina’s face between her hand before she could react and started to send in magic. Regina’s eyes now started to show confusion as she dropped the other woman to the floor. Her eyes were focused on green ones as her body felt drawn to the magic now pulsing into her. 

“Emma” she said softly. Emma wrapped her arms around the woman who seemed to feel a sudden sense of comfort and protection in Emma’s arms. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know what came over me” 

“It’s okay, at least you remembered it this go around” Emma motioned for Tinkerbell to take Regina to rest. Whale decided to check on her. Drizella came up behind Emma.

“I think its better to take them back to Storybrook” Emma knew that would be best. 

Drizella offered to take them back. Emma would require Regina to give her a scroll to get past the protection spell keeping the dead out. 

Regina woke up her room was dark. She could see the moonlight streaming through her window and thin outlines of the trees that formed odd shapes on the walls of the bedroom. She still didn’t understand why she lost control, nor did she understand how Emma was able to calm her. The past few weeks have brought nothing but chaos and she needed to have some form of peace and familiarity like Robin. Why was life so hard always with something or someone keeping her away from her true love. She was so close and everything snatched it away from her. 

She heard a knock on her door. A blonde head peeped in. Regina saw Emma with a tray of food for her. She was glad they had brought food from Storybrook. Atleast that would keep them going till they find Robin and go home. Emma placed the tray on the nightstand. Regina missed her kitchen and cooking in it. 

“It’s not much” Emma said know exactly what the brunette was thinking “ Hopefully we will find Robin soon and go back home” Emma turned around to leave

“Wait. Please, I don’t want to be alone” Regina patted the bed for Emma to sit. 

The blonde sat down but kept her distance from her. Not out of fear, being close to the brunette stirred feelings in her that she couldn’t act upon just yet. She decided to put her feelings aside and help Regina find Robin.

“Emma, what did you see out there?” Regina took a sip of her soup.

“Regina I don’t think you want me to talk about what I saw out there while you are eating” Emma knew what she saw and she couldn’t eat anything because all she kept seeing was that. 

“Emma, when you went out today with no prior notice, it scared me okay. It scared me to think of what could happen out there. You saw it. You know what kind of things are out there” Regina placed her mug back in the tray

“Well, you don’t know the half of it” Emma mumbled as she made circles in the bed spread

“Why don’t you tell me then?” Regina was serious she needed to know what was out there.

“Okay Regina you want to know, there are not only the ones we saw. There are infected animals, something’s that have adapted and mutated in to Sprinters that think and follow blood from miles away. If this happened within a few weeks I can only imagine what is out there” 

“So what are you saying? We just give up and head back home and act like everything outside is not really happening?” Emma was not liking where this was going. She could see a fight ahead.

“All I’m saying is that we send back those we don’t need on this search. Drizella, Whale, Snow, Merida, Anna and Tinkerbell. I know I told them to come but after seeing what’s out there I don’t think it’s wise to travel with such a large group.” 

“You think Snow is going to agree to going back, then you are sadly mistaken. Whale stays. The other’s can leave” Regina was done discussing it.

“Okay, can I have the scroll to send them back. Because they won’t be able to get past the barrier. They will be taking the SUV with them” Regina looked at her.

“Why the SUV?”

“Because it’s faster and safer.” 

“Fine, then they can have to. Let them leave tomorrow at sunrise.” Emma nodded and left. 

Regina plopped back on her pillow and stared at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and when she opened them it was morning. She stretched herself. She heard someone in her bathroom. Frowning she walked over to it. Who would use her bathroom at this hour and without her permission? She pushed open the door. There was a whole lot of stream. She saw someone in the shower. 

“Emma?” she was the only one brave enough to take a shower in her room without asking. There was no response. “Emma! Stop playing games” 

“Emma? Regina why would Emma be here?” Regina’s eyes grew wide. That voice. She made her way to the shower curtain and pulled it away. 

“Hey hey!” there stood Robin stark naked. 

“Robin! OMG, Robin” Regina reached out and grabbed the man. She didn’t care she was getting wet. All she needed right now was his arms around her. She the familiar comfort it gave her when he always held her. 

“Regina” he said softly as he pulled away and touched her face. He kissed her lips and her tears flowed as she felt his lips on hers. He stepped out of the bath and kept kissing her. She felt her back hit the bathroom’s wet wall but she didn’t care she needed to be with him right now. She wanted to feel his arms, his kiss everything. She wanted Emma so badly. Emma! She pushed Robin away. She was looking shocked and confused. Why would she want Emma. She was looking for Robin and he was here. He was right in front of-. 

Regina looked around the dark bathroom. No one was here. When she went to the bedroom, she was shocked to find Emma standing there. Her skin looked flushed and sweaty. Why was Emma in her room and why was she looking at her that way? Emma stared at Regina her hair was a mess and her clothes were all open exposing her bra. The look in Emma's eyes were not the same. It was dark. The blonde quickly rushed out of the room.

Day 3

Everyone was packed and ready by morning to leave. Regina had given them the scroll to get past the protection spell. She asked them to stop the SUV once they got past the line to make sure no dead had made it past the protection spell. Bidding farewell to the other’s they made their way back to Storybrook. Emma and Regina kept their distance from each other rarely making eye contact as they didn’t want to be in an uncomfortable situation like last night.

“So what do we do now?” Snow asked. 

“Now the real search begins. According to Merida she hadn’t seen anyone around during the past few weeks. We need to prepare ourselves, those things out there are growing. They are adapting themselves to the environment around and learning.” Emma recalled the sprinter.

“Didn’t Drizella mention something about a lab and the testing. Could these creatures comes from there?” Regina was now worried if the lab was producing these things and letting them run free.

“Sherriff, can you take me to the creature?” Whale wanted to see the thing and possibly bring it back here. As if Regina read his mind

“You are not bringing that thing back here Whale” She growled at him.

“I need to check it. We can make out if it’s mutating genetically or if it is man induced” he defended himself

“Regina it’s okay. I’ll take him” Emma didn’t need a repeat of what happened the previous evening.

“No, I will be coming with you and Whale. I want to see for myself what the hell is going on” Regina quickly went in and out her boots on while Emma took her gun and swords. 

“Why don’t we all go that way we are protected in numbers. Since we all have some form of fighting skill.” Snow suggested, not wanting Emma to be out there with Regina’s unstable magic.

“We need to take some provisions as well” 

The group made it outside, things looked a lot different. Their backpacks were filled with provisions that they each needed. The sky was grey and overcast. They could hear a few moans coming from a distance. Snow kept her bow close to her. She knew in the past that killing something at a distance mattered the most. The smell around the forest was no more welcoming. It smelt of death. David was watching the trees around. There was always the feeling that something was watching them. But he wasn’t about to tell the others. He knew Emma and Ruby checked it out but he couldn’t shake the fact there was something just watching them. He looked at Snow and alerted her to get ready if they were to be attacked. Regina wasn’t feeling too good. The air was making her nauseous. She felt someone touch her hand. She look to find Emma’s hand in hers. She was sending her magic. How did Emma know she was feeling sick? 

David raised his hand that made all of them to stop. He focused his attention on the sound that was running parallel to them walking. There were coming more closer to them. Emma held on to Regina getting ready. The sound was now getting closer and coming in quick. 

“RUN!!” 

David shouted to them. They started darting towards the open areas of the trees. Emma turned to see a group of sprinters running and snarling behind them. They were catching up because the runner’s were moving at a speed Emma had never seen before. To reduce the amount that were chasing them 

“Split up and meet at the cabin!” 

Emma shouted as they Snow and David darted to the right side of the forest and Emma watched as two of the sprinters ran behind them almost instantly. Ruby and Whale ran towards the left taking two more of the sprinters with them. Emma and Regina ran straight ahead. Something in Emma told her not to but it was either stay and face those things or keep running till she could find some place to take them down. She watched Regina holding her side as she ran. She didn’t look well. She should have left her at the cabin. She grabbed the brunette’s hand and quickened her pace. 

Emma hoped that they could kill these things. She stopped all of sudden as Regina fell to the ground throwing up. Emma quick jumped in front of Regina blocking the sprinters from her. She took out her swords and gun in the other hand. She hoped to God that there was no more of them. She kept her eyes on the one watching Regina. They could sense that she was weak. Emma looked over her shoulder to see Regina shivering. The first one lunged at Emma knocking her to the ground. This thing was much stronger than anticipated. The other one moved on Regina knocking her to the ground. It growled at Regina as she raised her arms to protect herself the creature opened its mouth to sink its teeth into Regina’s hand. The creature kept getting closer to her face, snapping at her neck. Regina's used a last bid effort as Emma watched her hand light up as she slammed a fireball into the creature's head causing it to screech in pain as it fell to the ground until it stopped moving. Regina didn't move after that and Emma knew she had blacked out. 

Emma grunted as she raised her legs against the creature on top of her and lofted it in the air. The sprinter fell a little further away but was quickly back on all four as it let out a roar and charged towards Emma. Who didn't hesitate this time round. She swung her sword and decapitated the creature as its body fell at her feet. Emma walked over to the head of the creature that was still alive snarling and making clicking sounds with its teeth. She bent down to see that this one was very different from the ones they encountered the previous day. She raised her sword and plunged it into the creatures head silencing it. She made her way back to Regina who was still out cold. Emma put Regina on her back. She was going have to get back to the cabin. Hopefully the other's were already back there.


	16. Chapter 16

David and Snow met up with Ruby and Whale at the cabin. They had managed to kill the creatures while Whale collected much need samples and checked over the creature. Clearly these things were mutating from something that was introduced into their body. This wasn’t a genetic mutation anymore. The stone may have caused the dead to rise but the other things around were definitely man made. Ruby looked outside to see if Emma and Regina were anywhere in sight. The sounds of screeching were still echoing from the forest and the other’s were getting worried. Ruby wanted to go out there and look for the two but right now was risky.

“I hope you’re alright Emma” she said quietly as she waited by the window.

Regina woke up in blonde tresses. She groaned as she felt herself floating. She wasn’t fully aware of her surroundings but she knew now that she was being carried. She moved her hands to the front of Emma, as she rested her head on her shoulder. She felt feverish and she almost always never got ill. The sounds around them were making her nervous. She still heard the echoing screams of the sprinter. It snapping teeth and the inhuman look in its eyes. She closed her eyes tightly wishing it away. She felt Emma’s hand hold hers tightly.

“Don’t be afraid, I will never let anything happen to you” Emma promised. 

“Emma, I can walk, please can you put me down” Emma stopped and gently place Regina down. Regina came up beside her. 

The surrounding was not familiar at all. Both of them looked around for some form of familiar sign or footprints. Regina looked at Emma, she wanted to yell at her but she knew Emma did her best to protect them. Droplets of water began to fall from the trees above them. It was starting to rain. There was a loud screeching sound and then a loud bang. The sounds coming from around them were unreal. Emma readied herself along with her gun and gave Regina the sword, hoping she would know how to use it. They went back to back looking around. Waiting from something to come at them. All that came down on them was rain. The thick drops of water fell first in drops and then in torrents. They both stood beneath a tree that offered them the most amount of protection from the rain. 

“Emma?”

“Hmmm”

“What happened after I got attacked?” 

There was silence. Regina waited still no response. 

“Why is it so hard for you to talk about it?” Regina faced the blonde who didn’t look at her.

“All that matters is your safe and well” Emma looking up at the rain that fell from the grey skies.

“Things have changed between us. I don’t know what it is. But something has changed in a big way” Regina saw Emma looking a bit guilty.

“Regina we are here to find Robin, let’s do that an get the hell home. I hate being out here. I hate looking at these things that have not a shred of humanity left in them. I hate to think what would happen if any of us slipped up in anyway” Emma was now looking at her. 

“You still didn’t answer my question” she said flatly.

“You want an answer here it is, You got attacked, you almost died, you got healed and here you are looking for your true love” Emma hated the fact that Regina was her true love and she was out here putting herself in mortal danger for someone who wasn’t. 

But Emma knew it was her choice to let Regina believe that Robin was her true love and the fact that she wanted the brunette to be able to choose this go around. Emma walked away into the rain leaving Regina under the tree. She knew that she couldn’t call out the blonde’s name. She just ran after her. She grabbed on to Emma’s arm and turned her around. She stared into those green eyes that had a longing that Regina was looking and waiting for so long. She felt Emma's hand on her face as she pulled her towards her until their lips touched, the kiss got deeper. 

The rain fell steadily on both of them, there was no other sound other than the rain falling on their tear stained cheeks. “I am sorry” Emma pulled away from her, Regina looked at her shocked. 

“I shouldn’t have done that” 

Emma cussed herself for kissing Regina. The brunette stood there with her fingers touching her lips. 

“Why did you do that?” Regina asked as Emma saw the hurt and betrayal in Regina’s eyes. 

“Regina I am sorry, I don’t know what came over me” Emma regretted kissing her. She had been avoiding every form of contact with her and in one swift moment of weakness she kissed her.

“Emma! You know that I belong to Robin. How could you do that!” Regina yelled at her.

“Regina stop yelling, you are going to alert those things” Emma tried to calm her down. Regina pushed her down.

“Don’t you ever touch me again” she hissed at Emma. 

At that moment, Emma wished she just got killed by one of those things because nothing hurt more than the words that Regina just said. She stood up and started to walk towards the trees. Her heart ached as she walked hoping they would see the cabin soon. There were no more words spoken between the two. Regina kept her distance from Emma and gave her a look of disgust every now and then. 

Ruby left a little candle by the window that was big enough for Emma to see but not for the dead. She didn’t need a horde or those creepy ass sprinters breaking down their door. She peer through the window, all she saw was darkness and rain. She stared at one forming a puddle in the mud. Everything adding up to today was like that puddle. 

“Ruby, We need to trust Emma that she can hold her own” Snow came up beside her.

“I trust Emma. Regina didn’t look too well Snow. I fear something bad had happened to them. I need to go out there, but I know it would only cause more trouble” Snow gave Ruby’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. 

Emma stopped as she saw light coming through the thickets. She turned to Regina who just looked away.

“I see light” was all she said as they made their way to it. 

Regina was glad she wouldn’t have to deal with the blonde. She now couldn’t wait to find Robin and get rid of the blonde. Regina did care for her but after what she did today it was over. They walked over and then they heard it. 

The whispers. 

At first it was soft. Both looked at each other, the rain had stopped so they knew it wasn’t that. The air was now chill but the whisper was no longer one. There were many. I like talk or chattering going on between the trees and the darkness that surrounded them. There was a soft shushing that came from the trees as the leaves danced in the wind. Now the whispers turned to voice. Regina thought she was hallucinating, Emma concentrated on the trees. She needed to pinpoint the exact location of the sounds. Then it stopped just as it started. 

The two women didn’t relax their stance. Instead they dug their feet into the mud to get a grip for whatever was going to leap at them. They waited for a good couple of minutes when nothing happened. They relaxed, Emma began to walk towards the light not bothering to wait for Regina. The brunette huffed behind her as she followed the blonde. Emma needed to find the source of the sound after she got Regina back to the cabin. She needed to be alone and away from her. Everything connected to her was a mess up right now and the distance was required. 

Ruby’s face broke into a smile when she saw Emma’s familiar golden mane but she didn’t like the look on her friend’s face. She didn’t look hurt but there was something telling her Regina and she had a fight as she watched the brunette follow Emma behind and not beside her. Ruby took her gun in her hand and waited with her hand on the door to let Emma and Regina in the second she opened the door. She heard the creaking of the wooden steps and she knew the two were up and ready to be let in. As the two women stepped in Ruby closed the door behind them and put a large wooden beam across it. Emma looked at the beam. It wasn’t there when they left that morning.

“We have been reinforcing the cabin while you two were out there” David said as he put the last nail sealing the windows. 

They had to make sure there was no way those things could enter the cabin. Emma just grunted in response before she proceeded inside. Every now looked at Regina.

“What?” she asked as she sat down on the sofa.

“What happened out there Regina?” Snow asked as she sat beside her. 

“Nothing happened. Nothing okay” Regina was not about to tell Snow that Emma kissed her

“The fact that you have to tell me twice means something did happen.” Snow looked at her with a raised brow. 

Regina roller her eyes at the woman. Why was she always in her business and with past experiences it was clear their experience were never good.

Regina ran her hand threw her hair as she mock combed it behind. Something she did when she was hiding something. Snow knew she was not comfortable talking with everyone watching her. She made eye contact with the other 3 to go and check on Emma. Now that they were alone Snow cleared her throat. Regina still didn’t look at her.

“Now that we are alone, talk” Snow coaxed her

“Snow I rather not-“

“ No you will because my daughter came in her with the look on her face that was clearly something you did to her” Snow was now serious. 

“I did? Don’t make me laugh Snow. Your daughter has proven time and again that she is incapable of keeping her cavewoman ways aside”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Snow was surprised Regina was being so negative towards Emma. She thought the past few days Regina was warming up to Emma.

“Your precious perfect child kissed me” Regina blurted out. 

“And?” Snow asked like the kiss was nothing

“She kissed me knowing I am Robin’s true love and how dare she think she had the right to do that. She thinks just because we have been cordial with each other she can take what she wants.” Regina was still angry at the blonde. 

“Regina you need to think before you say things. Emma would never do anything with out a good reason” Snow warned

“Oh so the kiss was just Emma’s lust. Hmm makes more sense your daughter is running on sexual hormones after all she hasn’t got any from her pirate” Snow knew this was it, if someone doesn’t stop her now she was going to let it all out.

“Regina! You don’t know anything!” Snow growled at her

“Mom! Stop, that is enough. We have to finish what we came for and get out of here” Emma came and stood between the two women looking down at them as they sat on the couch. 

“Emma but”

“No, let’s just get this over with. Tomorrow we leave the cabin and we are going to start to head north on foot. I am tired of not finding anything.” She glanced at Regina before leaving the two women who just watched her. 

Emma picked up bottle of water and sat beside the door again with her gun trained at it. A few weeks ago everything was normal. Her life was normal or what she considered normal at least. Watching a zombie flick on TV, having dinner with the family and all the things that came with Storybrook. Now everything and everyone had changed. What she had learnt about her relationship with Regina that day when she died in the hospital and what it had become tonight was tearing her apart. She wanted to find Robin, no, she needed to find him in order for her to have her happy ending or her heartbroken. She needed to know.

She was mentally making note of what they would require for the trip till they find a source of shelter, food and water. She opened the map that she found in the cabin. It showed Emma the surrounding areas are the cabin. She noticed that there were parts of the map that were covered with writing that she couldn’t make out. She would have to look into it later with better light. Snow sat beside her, not saying word. Emma showed her the map. She knew her mother was one of the best trackers in the Enchanted Forest.

“Mom, what do you think?” Snow took the map from her and examined it. She recognised the areas they had been to that morning and the area they hid in. She pointed it out to Emma 

“That’s where we need to head” Emma marked it with a red X

“We need to check the area going up to it for provisions. We will also have to make sure each of us have weapons” Regina came over to the two as she squatted down to take a look at the map. 

“I think we need to follow the stream so we are safer. There is a bridge that is up ahead that would get us to the point you have marked.” Snow looked at the map closer and noticed a bridge that did join the area they needed to reach. 

“We leave at first light, get some rest everyone.” Emma didn’t want Regina near her right now. 

Emma leaned back into a cushion that she had taken off the couch and made herself comfortable for the night watch. Ruby would take second watch. Since the whole cabin was boarded up there was no need for the others to stay awake. 

Tomorrow they would have to face a whole new world with God knows what was waiting for them. But they needed to find Robin. Emma didn’t plan on returning with the rest once they found Robin. She was going to go ahead to find the testing lab Drizella had spoken about. Emma peered through the little gap that was left between the wooden planks. She could see movement outside the cabin and soft moans as the shadowy figures began to move around looking for potential meals. Emma was looking for more than just regular ones, she was looking for mutated ones. She watched them move around like the mindless zombies that they were, in their own world and swaying to the moonlight that now peeped from behind the grey clouds. She could now see their disfigured faces. Some missing some limps, while others missing a jaw or eye. There was one that caught her eye. 

It was a teenager about Henry’s age. His skin shone red with blood all over in the moonlight as he moved with the other’s dragging his legs. His dark hair ruffled. He stopped mid way through his death dance and turned to look at the cabin. It was as if he knew he was being watched. Emma’s eyes grew wide

"HENRY"


End file.
